It’s long been established that killing a cockroach attracts more. This has to do with the stress pheromones and oleic acid release that attracts a colony of roaches towards itself.
Similarly, does a roach bait attracts more roaches? It also seems a logical question to ask.
Technically Yes! A roach bait attracts more roaches up to a certain distance because of the intensity of the aromatic smell.
However, this does not increase infestation in your house because the attracted roach dies after consuming the bait.
Moreover, the male roaches and nymphs are attracted more to baits than females (Reference).
Smell has a huge role in the life of cockroaches. They communicate via smells, which have a significant role in shaping the response of roaches, like attraction and repulsion.
Using this to its advantage, many natural and chemical roach repellents have been developed for a long time.
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)
What is a Roach Bait?
Roach bait is a substance that tricks cockroaches into consuming it and hence poisoning them to death. The roach bait has two components.
- A base with a pleasant aromatic odor, usually a gel.
- A Poison/active ingredient that kills roaches.
Additional Read: Best Roach Killers [Avoid THESE!]
Cockroaches are known to share food with their colony. This has helped scientists design roach baits with delayed action. Once a cockroach consumes the bait, it then shares the bait with peers, killing the whole nest population.
How Does Roach Gel Work?
A typical roach gel, also known as roach bait, contains a chemical insecticide that kills roaches. The chemical insecticide or the active ingredient is specifically designed to target the roach at the microcellular level.
Additional Read: Combat Max Roach Killing Gel Review – Roach ENEMY #1?
The roach gel usually has any of the three active ingredients inside it,
- Fipronil
- Hydramethylnon
- Indoxacarb
The fipronil primarily disrupts the nervous signaling of cockroaches by acting on a neurotransmitter receptor that kills the roaches in 8 to 20 hours.
On the other hand, Hydramethylon has a delayed action that takes 2 to 3 days to kill roaches, disrupting mitochondrial function.
It is important to note that although modern roach gels are usually odorless to humans, they are not to roaches.
A typical roach gel works in the following steps,
Step 1: Attracting the roach
The roach gel bait has a strong aromatic or rotten odor that attracts roaches towards itself. It tricks the cockroach into consuming the bait.
Step 2: Sharing with the peers
During the consumption of roach bait, some of the gel sticks to the body and spiky legs of the roach that is transferred to other roaches on returning to the colony.
Also, since roaches are cannibalistic, when a cockroach consumes another dead cockroach that has consumed the gel bait, it will die. This is called secondary kill.
Some baits will offer tertiary kill resulting in getting rid of an entire colony with just a pinch size of bait.
Step 3: Disruption and Death of Roaches
Once the roach gel has been inside the roach’s body for the desired time, it disrupts the microcellular function that kills the roaches. As a result, the roach usually dies in peace in a dark corner of the room.
Are Roaches Attracted to light? Read this article to get some amazing answers.
How long Does Roach Gel Last?
As mentioned earlier, the roach gel comprises two components, the base and the chemical insecticide. The base is the main component that decides the life of roach gel. Once the base dries, it stops emitting the odor that attracts roaches.
Every roach gel is manufactured differently by different brands. Some have a high oil content that takes a long time to dry, while others usually dry quickly.
On average, a good roach gel lasts between 3 to 6 months. However, it varies from brand to brand.
| Gel Brand | Active Ingredient | Effectiveness (82 °F) |
|---|---|---|
| Advion | Indoxacarb | 7 weeks |
| Alpine Rotation 2 | Dinotefuran | 4 weeks |
| Harris Gel | Indoxacarb | 5 weeks |
| Combat Max Roach | Fipronil | 5 weeks |
Want to see what a cockroach bite looks like? Click the link.
Best Roach Bait?
The primary function of roach bait is to kill roaches and exterminate an infestation. However, to achieve the desired effects, different brands have different approaches. Some roach baits are highly effective but not safe around children, while others act quickly but lose efficacy quickly.
Therefore, the best roach bait is the one that is,
- Safe around pets and children
- Stays effective for long
- Affordable
- Easy to apply
- Easily Available
The best roach bait is Advion Cockroach gel because it is highly effective, safe around pets and children, economical, easy to use, and readily available. Moreover, it retains its effectiveness for up to 7 weeks.
