| Natural & Organic Controls What? Effective methods of controlling cockroaches include baits especially those made with boric acid or diatomaceous earth, glue trays, pheromone traps, and aerosol sprays containing mint oil, pyrethrin/d-limonene. 
How? Boric Acid is deadly to ants, roaches, and other crawling insects. Some boric acid products contain a food and or pheromone attractants. When using straight boric acid, mix a small amount of boric acid to foods cockroaches will eat. Sweet or greasy foods usually attract them. Cockroaches will take some of the boric acid back to their colony. The colony can be severely damaged or eliminated. Although boric acid is relatively nontoxic, keep it away from children and pets. It should be enclosed in a bait station or placed in an area inaccessible to children or pets. Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is a dust-like product that contains the crushed fossilized remains of diatoms. The dust is ingested by the cockroach and affects the cuticle of the cockroach, resulting in its dehydration. The best part about DE is that insects cannot develop a resistance to it since there are no chemicals to which they can develop an immunity. If the area where the DE is applied becomes wet, it will need to be reapplied. Glue traps have a sticky surface that prevents the cockroaches from escaping once they have ventured onto the trap. These traps are easy to use, since you only need to release the paper that protects the glue surface and place the glue trap along the cockroach trail. Pheromone traps lure cockroaches as well as other crawling insects, and once inside the trap, the insects cannot escape. 
Aerosol sprays containing pyrethrin, d-limonene/mint oil can be used as a contact killer when a cockroach trail is spotted. They can be used to disrupt the trail so the cockroaches will look elsewhere for food. Safer® Brand offers a variety of roach control products to help organically control and eliminate this disease-carrying pest from your home. Products such as Safer® Brand Ant and Roach Killer Poison-Free Aerosol and Safer® Brand Ant and Crawling Insect Killer Diatomaceous Earth Powder are the ideal products for cockroach control in your home. Carefully read and follow all product label instructions completely for safe and effective application. When? The bait may take a few days to take effect before results are noticed. Spray Insect Killing Soap & Pyrethrin as a contact killer. Use in accordance with directions on the product label. Why Choose a Natural Solution? Natural solutions break down quickly into their natural elements. They are preferable to chemical pesticides that leave residuals where they are sprayed causing long-term detrimental affects on the environment. Natural Predators What? Cockroaches do have predators, however these predators live outdoors for the most part, and you would not want to let any of them loose in your house to catch the cockroaches. These predators include wasps, centipedes, salamanders, lizards, frogs and toads, bats, birds and some small animals. How? 
In the wild, these predators kill and eat the cockroaches. When? The availability of the predators depends on the climate and location of an area. Hibernating animals would not be present in the winter months to prey on cockroaches. Images courtesy of Oklahoma State University and Forestry Images.com.
For a complete list of content sources please visit our site bibliography page Safer®Brand brings you a variety of effective insect control products that are gentler on the environment! Most of them proudly display the OMRI Listed® seal and comply for use in organic gardening! 
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