Roach/Silverfish Problem - Advice/Strategy Needed

[EagerBeaver]

I live in a ground level condo built on concrete slab in a coastal area surrounded by tidal wetlands and forest. As such I am prone to bug problems, but never had much of a problem until I recently started noticing some roaches in my guest bathroom, my foyer and (gasp) my kitchen.

I know where the fuckers are coming from. There is a little crevice between the ceramic tile floor and the cabinet below the sink in the guest bathroom, which abuts the exterior wall where, outside, there is a large, frequently watered garden with various flowers, shrubs and bushes. I intend to patch that crevice, but meanwhile, I need to deal with the roaches.

I bought a product called "Harris Famous Roach Tablets." I am not sure how they work exactly, but the roach apparently eats the tablet (which looks like a large aspirin tablet) and takes it back to the nest where he poisons the rest of his family. I am not sure how effective this will be, but I layed out 3 tablets in the bathroom, 3 in the foyer and 3 in the kitchen.

Does anyone else have any other ideas to assist me in the final genocide of the roaches on my property?

 

[bond_james_bond]

Two suggestions:

1. The best and, almost, only weapon against roaches, is boric acid. This is a white powdery substance, that IIRC, is toxic to, well, everyone. However, for humans, I think you have to ingest a ton of it, before starting to feel ill effects.

For ants and roaches, the stuff sticks to their exoskeletons, and as I understand it, slowly begins to dissolve their bodies. They take it back to their hive, and other bugs eat it too.

Boric acid is available in many forms and labels. The tablets you describe are probably just that. Borax is another name. You can also get a bucket of the stuff at Home Depot, probably under some other brand name. Just look at the ingredients on the label to ensure that it has boric acid.

WARNING: Do NOT use if you have pets and/or kids. Otherwise, I would bombard the place with it. Put that stuff EVERYWHERE.

2. Raid roach baits with egg stoppers also does a pretty good job, if you can find it at the store. Again, the bugs take the stuff back to their hive, where it supposedly kills everyone else.

 

[JH Fan]

The best and, almost, only weapon....is boric acid. This is a white powdery substance.... For ants and roaches...

I know for ants "in a house, on your door steps or entry way".... its the only thing that will work properly.

Never had roaches. Sorry.

 

[fb1807]

Hi

Roaches are much tougher to kill than Silverfish, and come from your neighbor or grocery store. Buy boric acid at Canadian Tire and dust heavily where adjoining walls and pipes cross from your neighbor, and also under your sink, fridge and stove since roaches like dark places.

Boric acid is relatively non-toxic and the pharmaceutical grade has been used as an anti-bacterial solution around the eyes for centuries.

Be vigilant, roaches can survive a lot of poison, but if you can find the nest you will deal them a serious blow by killing the eggs.

Good Luck

 

[Special K]

The bastards are probably coming in from one of your filthy neighbors! No matter how clean you are they're still going to make their way into your abode so long as your neighbors are dirty bastards! Good luck.

 

[johnmbot]

Does anyone else have any other ideas to assist me in the final genocide of the roaches...?

ok ok okay! ... i'll leave merb.

 

[CS Martin]

Roaches, especially German Roaches are a tough problem. The ones you're seeing may be 2nd or even 3rd generation by the time you notice them. The little suckers breed more quickly than The Osmonds. Yup, most pest control people still use a mix of boric acid and other stuff. They get one of these large eye dropper shapped dry pounder puffers you can find in hardware stores and automotive places. Some people call them turkey basters.

Yes, it's about the cracks. Blow the stuff into your cracks and crevaces. But you have to be persistant over a period of time because they breed so quickly. Assume when you see them that they've already done the nasty behind the wall with their lady of this evening, thus he has 40 or so of his son's and daughters hatching tomorrow. After they're gone consider buying some spray foam products to use in the sockets and light switches. Not only does it present few opportunities for the little suckers, but it's more energy efficient. HAPPY GENOCIDE!!

 

[JH Fan]

ok ok okay! ... i'll leave merb.

Genocide or roaches he said ? just give this recipe to EB instead.

Large bag of Styrofoam packing peanuts
Few gallons of gasoline
Couple large containers to mix stuff in
Table salt

Procedure:
Place the packing peanuts in one of the large containers.
Add the gasoline.
Mix in as much gasoline as the peanuts will take.
Discard the remaining gasoline.
Mix in a bit of the salt or glass-cleaner.
Mix well.
"Unite and ignite"

And say bye bye to roaches !

 

[alphonso]

Have you tried stick mouse glue traps? Cockroaches have hairs on their legs that make them sticky and allow them to climb walls. When a roach hits a glue trap he is stick for good. If you see a roach scurrying away, hold a glue trap in his path and see what I mean

 

[JH Fan]

Here ya go !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL-G4BGKHVQ

 

[Mod 11]

Maybe just blocking the crevice? Self-expanding foam would do the trick.

 

[JH Fan]

Maybe just blocking the crevice? Self-expanding foam would do the trick.

You mean this stuff ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ynLwiCp9zQ&feature=related

Kinda make you think of one night with your favorite SP isn't it ?

 

[EagerBeaver]

1. The best and, almost, only weapon against roaches, is boric acid. This is a white powdery substance, that IIRC, is toxic to, well, everyone. However, for humans, I think you have to ingest a ton of it, before starting to feel ill effects.

Actually, the Harris tablets I put out have 40% Boric Acid as their active ingredient. I am hoping they will do the job.

I have never seen roaches in my condo before this year. In about 2005 or so, after a very rainy spring, I had a problem with small ants, but I sprayed and never saw them again. I never saw the roaches until this year. I just want them dead, and gone.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will of course be sealing the crevice through which I believe they are coming. I hope that the Boric Acid tablets do the job and dissolve the fuckers!

 

[cloudsurf]

I never saw the roaches until this year. I just want them dead, and gone.

Beav, you ain`t gonna be sitting in my car again anytime soon.....lol

 

[master_bates]

Sucks about your problem, a major factor is because you're on the ground floor.

Try getting a perimeter spray that you can spray all around the outside of your condo walls/windows. Should prevent them from coming in. As for the one's that are inside get a good bug killer and once those are dead your problem is solved.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Sucks about your problem, a major factor is because you're on the ground floor.

Try getting a perimeter spray that you can spray all around the outside of your condo walls/windows. Should prevent them from coming in. As for the one's that are inside get a good bug killer and once those are dead your problem is solved.

Good idea, but I can't do that without permission from the Condominium Association. A few years ago (I think in 2005), I had an ant problem after we had a very rainy April. They were coming from outside, and as you said, being ground level built over concrete slab in an area of forest and tidal wetlands is not an ideal area to be in as far as bugs. I wrote to the Condo Association and requested that they hire an exterminator and they refused. So I took matters into my own hands and sprayed the interior periphery. That solved the problem and never saw any bugs again until this year.

This year what is odd is that I have seen a few roaches, a few silverfish and a few earwigs, and I think that all of these fucking pests are coming in from the same area. That area has all kinds of goodies for them now - the guest bathroom is full of boric acid tablets and so is the foyer. I have only seen 2 roaches in the last few days, and both were dead - the way I want to see them, if I seem them at all from now on.

 

[Chigen]

There use to be a chalk that they use to sell in small hardware stores. It looks like a piece of blackboard chalk that you would chalk up an area where you have seen roaches. I have seen it but never used it. According to other people it works well.