Can extreme temperatures kill cockroaches?

Once the cockroach gets settled in your home, finding them is tough. Cockroaches are very problematic pests and vulnerable to temperature. They are experts at hiding and making a hiding place. Also, cockroach runs at incredible speed that it’s no piece of cake catching them.

Cold and heat to terminate roaches

However, roaches prefer heat or humid environments, but extreme heat can be dangerous.

Cockroaches cannot survive at high temperatures of 120°F (49°C). Similarly, roaches die when the temperature reaches lower than 15°F (-9°C). Again, it is because high heat kills the cockroaches’ faster speed than at the lowest temperature.

To terminate the roach eggs, either set the temperature below 0°F (-18°C) or increase it above 150°F (65°C).

The high or lower heat works the same for every roach species but may still work faster or slower with different cockroach species types.

Why the use of high or low temperature

Pesticide use is one of the most widely famous methods of cockroach elimination. But the problem with that method is cockroach has become immune to pesticides. As a result, even in some case number of roaches has increased after pesticide use.

Along with that, the pesticide has many side effects associated with them.

Use of high or low temperature is the lowest risk method to deal with roaches. The cockroach doesn’t adapt to high and low temperatures quickly, and they die in a few hours.

Cockroach in winter

You must have noticed as soon as winter comes, the number of pests also reduces. Do you ever wonder why it happens? If not, think about it; the temperature can be a hint for you. In winter, its apparent temperature decreases, making cockroach survival hard. And this is why we don’t encounter them in winter quickly.

Does temperature affect cockroach behavior?

When the temperature drops, cockroaches reduce their activity so that they can save their energy. Even when temperatures are below seven °C, cockroaches stop or limit reproduction and growth. Instead of doing any action, they search for a warm place to stay and save themselves from winter.

They hide in dark and warm places like under piping, wood piles, the basement, etc. The cockroach-less activity also prevents them from wandering around in the home. It is also why we don’t usually see them during winter.

How to get rid of roaches?

Multiple techniques can be used to eliminate cockroaches, including bait, traps, pesticide spray, etc.

A bait system is the best solution to get rid of the cockroach. Bait is the most effective, safe, and fast result-oriented solution. Baits that include fipronil as an active ingredient are the ones with the best results. Fipronil is also an internationally approved substance to kill cockroaches.

Cockroaches are a common pest problem that every second house in India faces. But that doesn’t make them safe to be in your home. So removing the roaches is necessary before they infest the complete house.

Cockroach control is challenging but possible. With the proper technique and method, pests can be kept at bay.