Cockroaches: Facts, Identification & Control

The cockroaches are an ancient group, dating back at least as far as the Carboniferous period, some 320 million years ago. The pest cockroaches can be carriers of various diseases because they are commonly found near waste deposits or in the kitchen, where food is present. Restaurants may also experience cockroach infestations.

They feed on human and pet food and can leave an offensive odor. They can passively transport pathogenic microbes on their body surfaces, particularly in environments such as hospitals. Cockroaches are linked with allergic reactions in humans. One of the proteins that triggers allergic reactions is tropomyosin. These allergens are also linked with asthma.

Don't worry, here's the solution.

And it's simple...

Step 1: The Items

I'll share with you the items need to make the trap. Firstly, I procured...

1 empty drinking bottle (free),

1 plastic cup (free),

A pair of scissor (obtained from the kitchen cabinet), and

A tube of silicone glue (or duck tape, etc... to hold things together) - leftover from previous projects.

Step 2: The Bottle

I proceed firstly with the empty drinking bottle. I cut the bottle with a pair of scissor at the upper portion near the mouth of the bottle as shown in the diagram.

The bottom part of the bottle will be used as a containment of the cockroach and the setting of the bait, and the upper part of the bottle will be used as a guiding path of entry.

Step 3: The Cup

Next step is the crucial component of the trap, the one way door.

I used a plastic cup for the door. There's two steps to achieve this. First, I removed the bottom of the cup using a pair of scissor. Then, I cut a straight line of the wall of the cup from the bottom to the top.

Step 4: The One Way Door

From the cup, I have a piece of plastic sheet.

Following the diagram, I cut as many straight lines and then, I bend it inward at two places (see the red dot lines). The finished door will look like the picture. When assembled, the one way door will let the cockroaches to enter easily and cannot get out.

Step 5: The Assembly

Now, I have three components for the trap, which are the upper part of the bottle, the one way door, and lastly, the bottom part of the bottle.

First, I carefully inserted the one way door inside the bottle, and then followed by the top of the bottle (you can optionally put some glue or tape a the tip of the mouth of the entrance to secure the trap). If it assembled correctly, it'll looked just like the images. (top view - first image, side view - second image).

Lastly, before setting the trap, I put some bits of crushed crackers as bait. Then, I placed the trap where the pest will come out to feed (e.g. the kitchen) and left it for the night.

Next morning...

WOW! I trapped a cockroach! (watch the video)

Happy trapping!