What Attracts Roaches? The Food, Water and Shelter That Draw Cockroaches Into Canadian Homes

TL;DR

• Roaches come for food, water and shelter: starches, sugars, protein and grease, leaky plumbing, and dark, warm, narrow spaces.
• Crumbs are often enough to keep them going. Crumbs, pet food left out, dirty dishes overnight and garbage all feed them.
• Water matters even more: German cockroaches may live about 2 weeks with no food or water, but up to 42 days with water alone.
• Cardboard, clutter and warm appliances can give them shelter, and their droppings may draw more roaches to the same spot.
• Make your home less inviting: seal food in plastic or glass, take garbage out daily, fix leaks, and caulk cracks and pipe openings.
• Need help? Get a quote from a recommended local exterminator through Pest Agent's referral form.

What attracts roaches comes down to four things a home supplies without trying: food, water, shelter and warmth. A kitchen can look spotless and still offer all four, in the grease film on the side of the stove, the slow drip under the sink and the warm gap beneath the fridge.

Wiping the counters alone rarely changes much. Roaches get by on crumbs most people never notice, and a good share of what feeds them never sat on a plate.

What Food Attracts Roaches?

Roaches are attracted to food that contains starches, sugars and protein, and Health Canada notes they will eat almost anything when hungry. They usually find it at night, using their antennae to pick up food smells, and they need very little of it. Here are the food sources that draw them in most often.

Food Crumbs

Food crumbs are often enough to keep a roach population going. UC IPM notes that even tiny amounts of crumbs or liquids caught between cracks provide a food source, and the New Mexico Department of Health says cockroaches may survive on crumbs, grease or food residue. Crumbs under the toaster, beside the stove, inside cupboards and under couch cushions all count.

Grease

Grease is one of the strongest food attractants, especially for German cockroaches. Penn State Extension says German cockroaches are especially fond of starches, sweets, grease and meat products. Grease builds up on stovetops, range hoods, the sides of the stove and the floor beside it, so wipe these areas down regularly, not only the countertops.

Pet Food

Pet food attracts roaches because it is often left out in the open on the floor. UF/IFAS lists pet food among the foods German cockroaches may eat, and Health Canada advises not to leave pet water and food out 24 hours a day. Pick up bowls after meals and keep the bag in a sealed container.

Dirty Dishes

Dirty dishes left in the sink overnight give roaches food and water in the same spot. Health Canada advises not letting dirty dishes pile up, especially overnight, and Penn State Extension gives the same advice. Wash them or load the dishwasher before bed.

Garbage

Garbage is a main food source for roaches in many homes. Penn State Extension calls garbage a principal food source for German cockroaches, and Kentucky's extension guide notes they often hide next to trash containers. An open bin, a bag left by the back door or a can with old residue in the bottom are all invitations.

Health Canada recommends storing garbage in sealed plastic containers and disposing of it daily. The New Mexico Department of Health adds that liners closed with twist ties can help keep cockroaches from being attracted to the garbage area.

Non-Food Items

Non-food items can feed roaches too. The University of Kentucky notes that cockroaches can also feed on glue, hair, soap, fabrics and filth, UF/IFAS says German cockroaches may even eat book bindings, and UC IPM notes that brownbanded cockroaches like starchy material such as the glue on stamps and envelopes. This is why paper piles and cardboard boxes are more than hiding places.

Why Does Water Attract Roaches?

Water attracts roaches because they need it more urgently than food. According to the New Mexico Department of Health, German cockroaches can stay alive for about 2 weeks with no food or water, but for 42 days if only water is available. A dripping tap can keep roaches alive long after you have cleaned up every crumb. The same source notes that in dry periods, larger cockroaches may move into buildings looking for moisture.

Plumbing Leaks

Plumbing leaks can be one of the most common water sources for roaches. The Government of Manitoba points out that leaking taps can be a source of water for cockroaches and should be repaired as quickly as possible. Check under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, behind the toilet, around the dishwasher and at the back of the fridge, where slow drips and condensation often go unnoticed.

Damp Rooms

Damp rooms such as bathrooms, laundry rooms and basements attract roaches because they offer moisture all day. Health Canada recommends ventilating bathrooms and dehumidifying moist areas to reduce sources of water. Damp sponges, wet towels and water left in plant saucers add small but steady water sources.

Floor Drains

Floor drains attract the larger roaches that prefer dark, damp places. The University of Kentucky notes that American and Oriental cockroaches are often found nesting in floor drains and sump pumps, and suggests sanitizing floor drains routinely. If you see roaches near a basement drain or coming out of a sink, see our guide on how to stop cockroaches from coming up the drain.

What Shelter Attracts Roaches?

Roach shelter can be any dark, warm, narrow space where surfaces touch the insect on both sides, according to UC IPM. Roaches spend the day packed into these spaces and come out at night to feed, so a home with many of them is very attractive.

Cracks and Crevices

Cracks and crevices are the favourite shelter of most indoor roaches. UC IPM says an adult German cockroach can hide in a crack 1/16 inch (about 1.6 mm) wide, and young roaches use even smaller cracks. Gaps behind baseboards, along countertops and backsplashes, around pipes and inside cabinet hinges are typical. Roaches tend to gather in large numbers in these spots, which is how a roach nest forms.

Clutter

Clutter attracts roaches because every pile adds dark, undisturbed hiding spots. UC IPM recommends removing piles of papers, cardboard boxes and other clutter, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. Bags of recycling, stacks of newspapers and items stored under the sink are common examples.

Cardboard

Cardboard attracts roaches as both shelter and food. Its corrugated layers create the narrow spaces they like, and roaches can eat the glue and paper. Health Canada warns that roaches can chew through paper and cardboard food packaging and lay eggs in it, so store food in sealed plastic or glass containers instead. The University of Kentucky also advises not letting cardboard boxes and paper bags accumulate.

Warm Appliances

Warm appliances attract roaches because they combine heat, shelter and nearby food. The University of Kentucky lists the areas beneath refrigerators, dishwashers and stoves as preferred German cockroach hiding places, and notes they also gather inside clocks, microwave ovens and other electronic equipment. UF/IFAS identifies cold temperatures as a major factor limiting German cockroach survival, which is why heated Canadian homes and apartment buildings can suit them so well all winter.

What Attracts Cockroaches, by Species?

What attracts cockroaches depends on the species, because each one prefers a different mix of heat, moisture and food. Knowing which roach you have tells you where to look. Our cockroach identifier can help you confirm the species.

German Cockroaches

German cockroaches are attracted to warm, humid spots close to food and water. UC IPM says they favour temperatures of 70 to 75°F (about 21 to 24°C), and the University of Kentucky notes they need warmth, moisture and food, which is why they are most common in kitchens, bathrooms and eating areas. Adults are about 1.3 cm to 1.6 cm long, according to Health Canada. It is the most common cockroach species in houses and other buildings, according to Penn State Extension, and the University of Kentucky considers it important from a public health standpoint.

Brownbanded Cockroaches

Brownbanded cockroaches are attracted to warmer, drier spots than German cockroaches. UC IPM says they tend to prefer temperatures of about 80°F (about 27°C) and starchy foods. The University of Kentucky notes they do not need to stay close to moisture, so they are often found in rooms other than the kitchen and bathroom, such as high in cabinets and closets, behind picture frames and inside furniture.

American Cockroaches

American cockroaches tend to be attracted to warm, humid, dark places, often above 82°F (about 28°C), according to UC IPM. They are common in sewers and storm drains, and indoors they favour basements, crawl spaces, floor drains, sump pumps and laundry areas (University of Kentucky). See the signs of American cockroaches if you are seeing large reddish-brown roaches.

Oriental Cockroaches

Oriental cockroaches are attracted to cool, dark, damp places such as garages, basements and drains (UC IPM). They feed on garbage and decaying organic matter (University of Kentucky) and may move into buildings at night looking for food, water or mates. Damp basements and leaking drains are their main draw.

Wood Cockroaches

Wood cockroaches are the roaches most likely to be attracted to light. Penn State Extension notes that male wood cockroaches can fly and may sometimes be attracted to lights at night in rural areas. They live outdoors, come in by accident (often on firewood) during the warm months, and die within a few days indoors because they dry out. They rarely breed inside, so one in the cottage or near the woodpile is usually not an infestation.

What Attracts Roaches to a Clean House?

Roaches can be attracted to a clean house because they need only tiny amounts of food and water, and they often arrive from somewhere else. The University of Kentucky notes that while cockroaches thrive where sanitation is poor, even the cleanest home can become infested. Three things explain most cases.

Roach Droppings

Roach droppings attract other roaches. UC IPM explains that accumulations of cockroach droppings contain a natural attractant called an aggregation pheromone, which draws other roaches to the same hiding spot. Once a few roaches settle in, the spot becomes more attractive to the next ones. Small dark specks along cabinet edges are one of the signs of a cockroach infestation.

Hitchhiking Items

Hitchhiking items bring roaches in no matter how clean you are. Health Canada lists used furniture, food items, empty beer and soft drink bottles and shipping cartons as ways roaches and their egg cases get into homes, and the University of Kentucky adds produce boxes and grocery bags. Our guide on where roaches come from covers every entry route.

Neighbouring Units

Neighbouring units are a common source in apartments and condos. The University of Kentucky notes that German cockroaches often travel between adjoining apartments along utility pipes and wires and inside wall voids. Your unit may simply be the next stop for roaches looking for food and water. The Government of Manitoba advises tenants to tell their landlord right away, and notes that landlords are then generally responsible for making sure units are pest-free. To understand how one or two roaches turn into many, read how a cockroach infestation starts.

How Do You Make Your Home Less Attractive to Roaches?

Making your home less attractive to roaches means taking away their food, water and hiding places. Health Canada warns that pesticides alone will not work, since the living environment must be physically changed first. Start with these steps, and see our full guide to preventing cockroaches for more.

Food Storage

Food storage is the first fix. Keep cereal, flour, sugar, snacks and pet food in tightly sealed plastic or glass containers, not paper or cardboard (Health Canada). Wipe up crumbs and spills right away, clean the stovetop after cooking and do not leave dishes or pet food out overnight. Our tips to prevent roaches in the kitchen go room by room.

Garbage Control

Garbage control removes one of the main food sources. Use bins with tight-fitting lids and plastic liners, take the garbage out daily and rinse the bin from time to time so no residue builds up at the bottom.

Moisture Control

Moisture control matters as much as cleaning. Fix leaking taps and pipes, wipe the sink and tub dry at night, run the bathroom fan, use a dehumidifier in a damp basement and keep floor drains clean.

Seal Cracks

Sealing cracks takes away shelter and travel routes. Health Canada recommends sealing and caulking all cracks, crevices and pipe openings to reduce hiding places. Focus on gaps around pipes under sinks, along baseboards and backsplashes, and where wires and pipes pass through walls shared with another unit.

Declutter

Decluttering removes the dark piles roaches hide in. Recycle cardboard boxes and paper bags promptly, store items in sealed plastic bins instead of boxes, and vacuum behind appliances, as the Government of Manitoba suggests.

When to Call a Pest Control Professional

Calling a pest control professional makes sense when you see roaches every night, see them during the day, or still see them after a few weeks of cleaning, sealing and baiting. Baits are the usual next step: Health Canada notes that bait stations kill cockroaches about 48 to 96 hours after they eat the active ingredient. Before you buy any product, check for a PCP number on the label, which shows it is approved by Health Canada, and follow every label direction, keeping products away from children and pets. To learn more, read about cockroach pest control or get a quote from a recommended local exterminator through Pest Agent's referral form.