Where to Find Cockroaches in Multi-level Buildings

Why? Because each cockroach species has different temperature and moisture preferences. By occupying different sites, they don’t have to compete with one another. Knowing the preferences of the various species helps technicians get to the heart of an infestation.

Top FloorS. The brownbanded cockroach is found in drier areas on upper levels. It’s more likely to be found away from kitchens and bathrooms, invading bedrooms and living rooms. It can be found behind objects on the wall, inside TVs and other appliances, and in furniture.

Main FLOORS. The German cockroach lives here in warm, dry, protected areas but with direct access to food and water. Sometimes, the brownbanded cockroach can be found in the same sites. The brownbanded cockroach also likes warm, dry areas but has less need for water than the other roaches.

The German cockroach is found above basement level and is most common in the kitchen or bathroom of residences, behind cabinets or appliances.

GROUND FLOORS. The American cockroach lives in warm, dark, damp areas on ground floors. The American is found in boiler rooms, vending machine rooms, storage areas, garbage rooms, sewers and near steam pipes. It’s also found in warm commercial establishments like bakeries, greenhouses and restaurants. It’s rarely found above the first floor of buildings and is uncommon in residences.

CRAWLSPACE/BASEMENT LEVEL. The oriental cockroach lives in cool, dark, damp, poorly ventilated areas. Its neighbor, the American cockroach, may visit occasionally.

The oriental is found in cellars, crawlspaces, basements, garages, or near floor drains, water pipes, water meter vaults and sewers. In warm weather, it’s often found outside around building foundations and enters through basement doors and other openings. It’s rarely found above the basement level of a building.

Of course, there are always exceptions to these “multi-level roach rules.” For instance, the German cockroach can often be found anywhere in a building if conditions are right. But understanding that certain cockroaches are generally found only in certain parts of a building will go a long way to successful identification and control.

How to Use a Flushing Agent

A flushing agent, as its name implies, is used to “flush” pests (usually cockroaches) out of hiding. There are three reasons to use a flushing agent for roaches:

1.  During inspection. Injecting a flushing agent into voids and cracks and crevices will help you find cockroach “hot spots” for treatment.
2. To move cockroaches onto treated surfaces. A flushing agent will force cockroaches to come into contact with your residual insecticide.
3. To exclude cockroaches from certain areas. Some flushing agents have a longer residual and are used as repellents to keep cockroaches out of certain protected sites.

Flushing agents can be aerosols, liquids or dusts. Most are dual use, meaning they can be used to both kill insects, usually by contact, and flush them out of hiding areas. The flusher should be applied, using an injection tip, into cockroach hiding places such as cracks and crevices, table legs, behind cabinets, in drop ceilings and other voids, and inside equipment. The flushing agent may kill cockroaches that it directly contacts, but others may be affected only temporarily. It’s important to also use a residual insecticide or a bait for long-term control.

If you’re using the flushing agent as an inspection tool, use it before you apply any other insecticides. The scurrying roaches will indicate where to concentrate your residual application.

If you’re using the flushing agent to move roaches onto treated surfaces, use it after you have applied a residual insecticide to surfaces, corners under equipment and in cracks and crevices.

To move roaches out of hiding, the flushing agent must be irritating or repellent to them. Pyrethrins, pyrethrum and certain repellent pyrethroids are the insecticides most commonly used in flushing agents. Usually, the higher the percentage of these chemicals in the product, the more flushing action they will have. Because flushing agents are usually irritating to humans as well, technicians should wear a respirator when applying them in confined spaces or for extended periods, and they should avoid their use when people are present.