Why do you never see cockroaches outdoors? Why only at home?

The cockroaches do not like light. They prefer dark areas only. Outdoors is a lighted area and open for their hunters to see and kill them. Indoors, they live in the safety of darkness and unapproachable corners.

Unfortunately, our homes provide the ideal conditions for cockroaches to thrive. Cockroaches have simple needs: food, warmth, moisture and shelter. Our homes have all of those things, from pantries stocked with food to lots of cracks and crevices in which cockroaches can hide and lay their eggs.

Dirty homes, in particular, offer the perfect conditions for cockroaches. Cockroaches are attracted to food that has been left out on the counter, dirty dishes in the sink, and crumbs laying on the floor. They are also attracted to moisture, such as from a leaky pipe underneath a bathroom sink or a wet bathmat on the floor.

Unlike other insects, cockroaches are a problem year-round. That being said, they are more prolific in the summer; they fare poorly in the cold, but they thrive in heat and humidity. This means that you should be especially vigilant from now until when the weather cools.

While having a dirty house can extend a cockroach’s stay, having a clean one won’t guarantee that you won’t get them. Cockroaches and their eggs can come into your home in a number of ways, including through cracks, crevices, vents and pipes, and even on things like grocery bags, purses, boxes and shoes.