Encountering cockroaches outside of your residence during the nighttime hours is not an uncommon experience.
The presence of garden roaches is a well-known phenomenon, as it is typical to observe them moving across surfaces such as patios, porches, and sidewalks.
Given their nocturnal nature, cockroaches will venture out in search of sustenance, seeking both food and water.
It is crucial to recognize that the existence of roaches in your yard should not be underestimated or ignored, as they may soon make their way inside your dwelling and establish an infestation.
As such, taking appropriate measures to address this concern is important.
If you see cockroaches outside your house at night, the reasons might be,
- Bright porch lights that attract roaches
- Sewerage holes with loose covers surrounding your garden
- Uncovered garbage bins sitting outside the house
- Your neighbors might be having a heavy roach infestation
- Your garden might have plenty of stacked rotting leaves and clutter that attract roaches
- Your garden might be damp
Seeing cockroaches outside the house at night might not be serious. However, some reasons might warrant quick action to prevent your garden from turning into a roach breeding hub.
Tired of cockroaches? Invest in only these products and follow the guide to eliminate roaches!
Use these products, and you will be roach free in less than a week.
1. Advion Cockroach Gel Bait (Review)
2. Gentrol IGR Point Source (Review)
Other Products to try:
1. Combat Roach Traps (Easy than gel baits)
2. Hot Shot Foggers (To kill in masses – 95%)
3. Pet Safe Killers (Uses Essential Oils)
4. Ortho Defence Outdoor Roach Killer (Prevent Roaches)
Reasons you see Cockroaches outside the house at night!
Cockroaches are most active during warm, humid summers when they mate and breed young roaches.
During the late summer months, it’s common to encounter many insects, including beetles, butterflies, and roaches roaming around the house, especially at night.
But, seeing cockroaches outside the house at night might have other reasons. You will successfully overcome these garden roaches if you carefully work on these causes.
Reason 1: Bright lights on Porch or Yard
Bright lights attract several insects, including mosquitoes, beetles, and certain garden roaches, including Wood cockroaches and the Asian cockroach.
If your porch or yard is lightened with extra bright lights, this might be the only reason you see cockroaches outside the house at night.
Moreover, bright light makes the roaches fly toward them and move indoors via windows.
Reason 2: Lose Sewrage holes Surrounding the Garden
The infamous American and Australian cockroaches live inside sewerage holes and feed on filth and feces.
If your garden or yard has a sewerage hole near it, look for loose covers because roaches might be escaping through them into your garden.
This might sometimes be the sole reason for roaches in the yard.
Reason 3: Uncovered Garbage Bins
Uncovered garbage bins emit a strong smell that attracts many roaches, including American, Smokey Brown, and Wood roaches.
If you have garbage bins near your garden or yard, cover them adequately to prevent garden roaches from getting attracted.
Reason 4: Infestation from Neighbors
Sometimes the only reason you see roaches on the porch at night is a heavy infestation in your neighborhood.
In heavy infestation, roaches can’t find enough food and water, so they usually move outwards at night from a nearby house and may linger around your garden or yard searching for food and water.
Reason 5: Stacks of rotting leaves and Clutter
Stacks of rotting leaves and clutter are no less than heaven for garden roaches and attract them. Unfortunately, therefore, you might encounter them outside the house at night.
Properly cleaning the leaves and clutter might help you get rid of yard roaches.
Reason 6: Dampness
Cockroaches can live without food for months but can’t live without water for more than a week.
Therefore, dampness inside your garden might attract roaches during extreme summer when it’s mostly dry.
Roaches come out at night in search of dampness and hideaway during the day; that is why you only see cockroaches outside your house at night.
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Types of roaches on the porch at night
Based on the place you live, you may have different types of cockroaches outside your house at night, but a few of them are the most commonly encountered roaches in the yard.
This is because these roaches mostly live outdoors.
Following are types of roaches mostly encountered on the porch at night,
American Cockroach
The American cockroach is found mainly inside gutters and sheds but can also move indoors in suitable conditions.
The American cockroach is a frequently encountered species of roach outside homes during nighttime hours. They tend to seek refuge beneath rocks and woodpiles and emerge during darkness in search of sustenance and hydration.
Measuring between one and a half to two inches in length, the American cockroach has a flattened, light brown-colored body, with wings that allow for flight. This species is known to have a rapid reproductive rate and can live for up to two years.
Wood Cockroach
If you live in a suburban town with a lot of greenery, wood roaches might be the most common garden roaches you will see outside the house at night.
Wood roaches live in timberland and are accidentally carried inside the house with firewood. They infest homes made of wood but are easy to exterminate because they are less shy than other roaches and roam freely.
Wood roaches are attracted to bright light and may fly inwards via open windows and ventilators; therefore, covering them with mesh is essential to prevent infestation.
Asian Cockroach
Asian cockroaches resemble German roaches but prefer to live in shady green areas and come out at night. If your garden or yard is damp and shady, you might see them roaming around at night outside your house.
Asian roaches are most active in August but can be found throughout the year infesting your grass.
They are attracted to bright white light on the patio or porch. However, they can enter houses via windows and ventilators and live happily in damp basements and attics.
Other Grass Roaches
Other grass roaches you might see outside the house at night include Oriental and Brown Banded roaches. They also roam around in search of food and water at night.
Where do roaches come from? Read this article to get your answer.
What to do with outside roaches?
If you see roaches outside the house at night, do not take them lightly because they can soon enter your house and cause an infestation. Therefore, you must get rid of the outside roaches.
Follow these steps to get rid of outside roaches,
Step 1: Analyze the type and level of infestation in your yard
To effectively remove roaches from your yard, it’s important to assess the extent of the problem and identify the specific type of cockroach present. This will allow you to choose the best method for eliminating them.
By understanding the type of roaches you’re dealing with, you can also gain insights into why you’re seeing them in your yard at night. For instance, if you notice wood cockroaches, using bright lights can help deter them.
Similarly, if you spot American cockroaches infesting your grass, it may indicate the presence of an open drain pipe in the vicinity. This information can help you take appropriate steps to address the underlying cause of the infestation.
Step 2: Remove the factors that attract roaches outside your house
The next step is to remove the factors that attract roaches outside your house, including,
- Change bright lights inside your porch with dim lights
- Seal sewerage holes properly (Check 5 Best Anti Cockroach Drain Covers)
- Regularly clean leaves and rotting matter
- Cover garbage bins adequately
- Remove sources of dampness in your yard like leaking pipes
- Talk with your neighbors if you feel that roaches are coming from them
Step 3: Kill the roaches in the grass
Now that you have successfully removed the factors, the next step is to kill the remaining roaches in the yard. Use any of the following methods to get rid of grass roaches,
Method 1: Using roach-killing spray
You can effectively kill roaches outside your house using an insecticide spray.
However, every spray will not work out for you because it requires a large amount of insecticide solution that needs to be thoroughly applied.
Therefore, I recommend using Ortho Home Defense Insects Killer because it is a 1.1-gallon solution and comes with a pre-packed electric spraying device. It will also keep killing roaches for up to 3 months.
All you need to do is spray around the house’s whole border, including the grass.
Additional Read: 3 Best Outdoor Roach Killers
Method 2: Using Baits
Although baits do not instantaneously kill roaches outside the house, they are the more effective long-term remedy.
Once the roaches consume the bait, they will share it with the whole colony and kill them.
To use bait, apply small amounts around multiple locations outside the house, including,
- Around the pavements and corners of the house
- Near the garbage bins
- Around the sewerage holes
- Around the lights
Best Baits:
- Bengal Roach Killer is a dry spray bait, very easy to apply and use. (How to use guide)
- Advion Cockroach Gel Bait is the most effective gel you can buy.
- Hot Shot Liquid Cockroach Trapper and Killer is the best trap you can get for cockroaches.
- Combat Max 12-Month Roach Killing Bait is the best bait out on the market
Method 3: Using Roach Killing pellets
Outside roaches are susceptible to pesticides, and toxic pelletized baits scattered outdoors provide the most reliable control.
Therefore set up pellet baits around the green area surrounding your houses at multiple locations and wait for a few days. You will get rid of cockroaches outside your house.
Step 4: Use natural roach repellents
The last step to removing roaches outside the house is to use natural roach repellents such as peppermint oil. Not only will it prevent roaches from entering the house, but it will also ward them off your garden.
All you need to do is mix 20 drops of peppermint oil or other essential oil in water and spray it around and outside the house.
Additional Read!
