We seem to have a light roach problem that may be emanating from our basement. We think that a family member who sent a few items to use from down south may have had some stow always. I say light, as we've only noticed a small handful here or there (and a few that's infiltrated the kitchen directly above.

We have some furniture, carpet and other things we're storing down there, so we'd like to avoid bug spray (as the idea of liquid poison is not our favorite thing in the world).

So what is the best way to tackle the problem before it balloons out of control? We've had great success with this special brown gel in the past which we purchased from a professional exterminator. We put dabs of it throughout and have watched roach infestations in the past completely disappear. However, I was wondering if a few strategically placed bombs would be more impactful in a "big bag" shot.

I'm open to any ideas. What is the best, quickest and most effective method to make sure these are taken to a baseline of zero within the next few weeks?

Thanks!

 

I'm a bit confused - what appeals to you about a bug bomb whereas a spray seems to be problematic?

 

Ya, a bug bomb [and they are often effective] is basically just a spray that goes everywhere!
I'd be inclined to use the bug bombs and the gel.

 

Roach baiting is popular and effective; I’d go with that. The total release aerosols, while killing the exposed insects, can also chase/repel them to inside the walls and deeper harborage.

 

I suppose I was operating under a false assumption about bombs. I pictured them (and foggers?) as a gaseous mixture similar to fumigation (where it penetrates but does not coat). I guess I was wrong about that.

Am I correct to assume the gel is the best method, since they take it back to the nest and kill the others (unlike spray that only gets in certain areas). Also, is the pro gel better than the traps at the hardware store?

 

I guess you've never used a fogger. They get on everything so you need to cover up some stuff before you set them off [like dishes or anything you don't want to wash up] Listen to what PAbugman says as he is the expert!

 

This is a follow-up to this thread from last week:http://www.doityourself.com/forum/in...ml#post2530798

I went ahead and went with a $7.00 Ant/Roach combo gel by Hot Shot I found at Home Depot, which says it'll kill both colonies simultaneously (since we have a problem with both right now). The link for the product can be found here: Hot Shot 2.5 oz. Ultra Clear Roach and Ant Gel Bait-HG-95769-3 - The Home Depot

It's been two days and the gel seems to almost have completely dried up/evaporated. I laid down five tubs worth throughout the house, using an extra concentration in the areas where we've seen the most roaches. I know it says "ultra clear gel," but is it normal for it to act in this way? Brown gel I've seen in the past is still clearly visible in clumps months after application. How long should I wait before I lay down more coverage of the gel to ensure the nests are wiped out?

 

It's best to tag onto an existing thread so we don't have to go and read the other one to find out your history with it. The moderator may combine the posts anyway. You opted for "clear", so I am not sure what you expect. Follow the directions on the container as to re-treatment. Are you still having infestation?

 

Sorry, I didn't' realize. Thanks to whoever moved this.

As for the infestation, it's a bit too early to tell. I only just laid down the gel about three days ago. The instructions don't give any time frame for how long it should take to wipe out the infestation or when/if I should reapply. It says it works as fast as two hours, but obviously I know that's not going to wipe them all out that fast.

Can someone tell me how long gels like Hot Shot from a hardware store like Home Depot take to work to full effect? Should I expect a light infestation of ant & roaches to be wiped out in two weeks? Three weeks? A month? Should I expect a need to retreat a second time before both nests are killed off?

 

Just as an aside for people reading along here..... there are two types of bombs/foggers.

There is the typical aerosol where the top valve gets locked down and a wet mist is released.

Then there is the dry release type. There is a plastic cup that gets filled with a 1/4" of water and a canister of ingredients is placed in that plastic cup. The canister absorbs the water, creates heat thru a chemical reaction and then a dry fog is released.

I use this type of dry fogger all the time when I need pests killed without damaging material surfaces. I even use this type in my service vehicles when I put something in and get an ant attack.

Raid® Fumigating Fogger

 

UPDATE:

It's not been quite two weeks yet, but I'm seeing a pretty big fall off in the roach population. Before I could flick the light on in the kitchen and five or six would scurry away. Now it's only been one or two in the last week. However, I found one in the upstairs bedroom today and it's making me worried it's not quite having the impact I wanted.

Even though this stuff says it "kills for up to 3 months," I'd like to get something a bit powerful down that didn't come out of a $6 tube. If I were to purchase one of the more heavy-duty industrial gels, can I go ahead and put that down now? Or is it a big no-no to mix the baits throughout the house?

 

When I lived in fla it was prudent to spray for roaches every month. That was 25 yrs ago so things may have changed. Listen to what bugman has to say as he is the pro!

 

There’s no problem with mixing baits; oftentimes it’s a good idea. If you’re concerned about have a lot of unused “bait spots” throughout the house, you could always cut small squares of wax paper and put the bait on them. Remember where they are and you can pick them up later.

While they are claimed to last three months, our experience is that the fresher they are , the more they are accepted by the roaches. All active ingredients work and kill roaches, but eating/acceptance come before dying.

 

This may not be a tried and true method, but it has worked for me. I sprinkle Borax behind refrigerators and in the back of cabinets. I have heard it may not KILL the roaches, but they will flee the area and take up somewhere else, or die trying. Any feedback on that?

 

Have you considered using diatomaceous earth (DE)? It's organic and non-toxic. It comes from the fossilized remains of marine organisms. Works on anything with an exoskeleton including roaches, termites, and scorpions.

If you ever try it, make sure you get food grade and wear a dust mask. I get mine at a local feed store. When the pest walks over the DE, it dies from dehydration after bug absorbs DE from lacerations.

 

Thanks for the helpful tips and feedback everyone. I'm definitely going to need to make another pass soon, as it seems like the first round killed many of the older roaches but we're now getting an influx of the younger ones that just hatched. I want to knock this out soon and I'm looking for something effective.

@PAbugman:

Earlier in the thread you said that bating is a popular, tried-and-true method that you would recommend. As someone with 30 years experience, if it were your home (where you had to treat the attic, 1st and 2nd floors plus the basement), what gel would you recommend? The Hot Shot seems to have only been semi-effective for about a week and was only $6. However, the most highly recommend seems to be Advion Syngenta and it runs for about $25 a tube on Amazon.

I want to stick with the gel route so I don't have to spray poison on anything. But am I just prolonging the problem that way?

Thanks!

 

Advion, Invict, Max force, Vendetta, Avert are all good baits. Don’t over bait as the baits go stale and undesirable quicker than the manufacturers admit. The gels are more accepted by roaches then are the dry baits. A key point is to keep the baits fresh, no matter which you chose.

The baits will work towards colony elimination as long as re-infestation isn’t an issue. If you had a row house and suspect neighbors I would be advocating for a residual spray as well but that isn’t the case here.

The gestation period for roach eggs can be several months sometimes. You may be seeing a natural hatching out which the bait or sprays wouldn’t have stopped. You simply have to work through this. Don’t be discouraged.

 

Thanks for the info. Advion seems to be the most highly recommended, so I figured I'd go with that. However, I found two versions that are suggested. Any thoughts on which one would be more effective?


http://www.amazon.com/Dupont-Advion-...=1&*entries*=0

http://www.amazon.com/Advion-Syngent.../dp/B002Y2GNVM

 

They are both the same active ingredient, just packaged a little differently. Go with the best per unit price. Good stuff. Keep us posted.