Up until a year ago, I never had a problem with roaches. A few lived in my house, but they didn’t bother me and I didn’t bother them. We had a nice arrangement like that. What I didn’t realize was that this handful of cockroaches had about thirty invisible brothers and sisters. I found them all partying one night, around 2:00 AM, in the middle of my kitchen floor. I decided then that something needed to be done.

I didn’t want to kill the little guys (even though I was miffed at them for squatting in my home), but I did want them back outside. After consulting some vegan friends and reading a guide to natural pest control, I was able to get the roaches back into their natural, outdoors habitat. The approach is three pronged: first, know the roaches – what they want and where they live. Secondly, make your home undesirable. Third, catch the stragglers.

Part I: Know Your Enemy

So let’s start with a little lesson in cockroach biology. First, there are several breeds – from the Brown-Banded Roach to the Woods Roach. In the States, the most common breed is the aptly named American Roach. They can be identified by their size (1.5 inches, fully grown) and their color (reddish brown). For the remainder of this article, we will assume your living with American Roaches. Even if you’re not, though, there’s no reason to fret. Different breeds are quiet similar and usually vary on just one or two minor points.

Next, let’s look at their life cycle. Your average female roach will produce 14 eggs a week. Most of her young will die of starvation before they reach adulthood, but many can nevertheless survive for over two years. Beware that in a nutritious environment, the population can boom quiet rapidly. And roaches, unfortunately, will eat just about anything. They’re favorite meals consist of rotting food, sweets, and – at least when we’re talking about the American Roach – alcohol.

Finally, since roaches spend so much time in our homes, let’s take a peek into theirs. The most popular habitat is, believe it or not, outside. Roaches love damp, shady places, and the outdoors abounds with both moisture and shade. You can usually find them under piles of leaves or in rotting trees. Even if they spend most of their time outside, though, hunger can often drive them into your home. A few, finding it cozy (if dangerous) will even stick around in this land of the giants. Their favorite indoor habitats are in crawlspaces and around water heaters and pipes.

Part II: Prevention is the Best Cure

So how can we get those roaches out of your home? By _keeping_ them out, of course! Remember, most roaches don’t actually live in your home; they just stop by for the occasional snack. Here’s what you can do to keep them out:

First, don’t cater to their hunger. The cleaner your home is, the less food there is for them to eat. Besides the obvious stuff, like unwashed dishes and open cereal boxes, roaches will also eat hair dander, skin particles, and other forms of organic waste. If you don’t want to give them a free meal, mop your floors regularly. This is especially important in your kitchen. If you show them that your home isn’t a cockroach buffet, they’ll quickly learn to eat elsewhere.

Secondly, obstruct their entrance. Screen your windows. Caulk your doors. Make your home an impenetrable human fortress. If roaches can’t get in, they’ll have to stay out. Finally, don’t encourage roaches to live next to your home. Rake leaves away from your walls. You should clean your gutters and move (or destroy) anything that looks like a moist cockroach habitat. If they live twenty feet from home, they’ll probably forgo the backyard trek and forage for food locally.

Part III: Catching the Loose Ends

A few roaches will get stuck in your house, however. Others might still find a way to sneak in. How do you get rid of them? Luckily, since the most staying outside these days, you can catch the stragglers on a one by one basis.

My friend taught me this simple, humane roach trap. First, soak some bread in beer. (American Roaches are born inebriants and love all things alcoholic. If you’re not trying to catch American Roaches, then use a daub of peanut butter, instead.) Next, put it in a glass jar and then coat the inner lip of the jar with some cooking oil.

The roach will be drawn to the food, climb into the jar, and after engorging itself, won’t be able to escape. It will constantly slip on the oil, falling back into the jar. Tricky trap, huh? And simple: Just toss the roach outside, and you’re problem is gone. Repeat until roaches stop appearing in the jar. At that point, your house is finally roach free. But this will not prevent them from coming back, it is still strongly suggested to call a professional SC pest control to help you get rid of them.