Experts Say Cardboard Attracts Cockroaches by Offering 3 Essentials
Updated
Updated · HuffPost · Aug 23
Experts Say Cardboard Attracts Cockroaches by Offering 3 Essentials
3 articles · Updated · HuffPost · Aug 23
Summary
Cardboard can draw in home-infesting cockroaches because it provides food, water and shelter, according to pest experts who say corrugated boxes can serve as ready-made harborage.
Wet cardboard adds to the appeal, and its absorbent, sound-deadening structure can trap pheromone odors and hide insect movement long enough for populations to grow unnoticed.
German and American cockroaches are the main household concerns in the U.S.; experts say they can contaminate food-prep surfaces with pathogens, while German cockroaches are especially linked to allergy and childhood asthma risks.
Prevention starts with regularly inspecting stored boxes, reducing clutter, cleaning food waste, sealing gaps and using entry-point insecticides; severe infestations may require pest-control treatment.
Not every cockroach found indoors will infest a home, experts said, urging correct species identification through state land-grant institutions before assuming a broader pest problem.