Roaches

[Bob K4TAX]

Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird

Roaches can swim. Some pest control people here put insecticide into the p traps of home plumbing to kill any roaches that might live down there. When you're not using the rig, you could put something like stainless steel wool on the drains to keep the critters from living down there and entering the trailer.

Even if your pest guy leaves you chemical and sticky traps, ask him how often they need to be changed. You might have to treat every couple of weeks to get rid of them.

Yes, roaches can swim and water in P traps won't stop them. Do you camp where sewer is available at the site, and DO YOU leave the dump valves open? If so, that is a good way to get roaches to set up housekeeping inside the tanks. It is strongly advised to keep dump valves closed unless dumping the tanks. Then flush the lines, and close the valves.

Roaches live on moisture, water, food waste, food crumbs found in cracks and crevasses dark places, and the like. Keep the inside of the trailer and cabinets pristine and clean and leave NO food or water available anywhere.

In remodeling homes, I've seen walls opened up in the kitchen and/or bath areas and found 1,000's of roaches. They are difficult to exterminate, often leaving egg pods to eventually hatch into 1,000's more.

No water, no food, no roaches.

Bob

[RV_Lee]

I had an earwig problem recently, I assume due to how damp its been this summer. They were crawling up the sewer hose and getting into that compartment and then I assume through cracks in the walls?

[mtkbuckeye]

Originally Posted by lizARdman15

I have been dealing with roaches in the camper for at least a year now.
They get into food, plates, cups, well... everything.
Ultimatum occurred, my daughter found one in her bed last weekend on a trip.
I have got to do something about it!!

Back story on the TT. It is stored indoors. It is always plugged in and A/C & fridge turned on to prepare for a trip.
The building is treated quarterly. My pest guy treats the building and the camper(I don;t recall the chemical). He gives me extra sticky traps to put in the camper and I have continued to catch little and big roaches.
I am not aware of any moisture problem with the camper.
The camper is cleaned after every trip. Nothing dirty, trash, or food is left inside.

What should I try?

I was thinking a bug bomb of some type, but I am not sure what preparations I need to make to be able to do that.
Or whether it is even advisable to do.

If so, what is recommended?

If not, what else is?

Ask you pest control guy to use Gentrol in his mix. Also have him put in Gentrol Point Source in your cabinets. He will know what they are. They work awesome.

[santasurfer]

Diatomaceous Earth.
Get the Food Grade.
I have literally consumed it for certain health reasons. Harmless to humans except in the eyes or if breathed (a good amount).

Sprinkle it in corners and on top of things where it will be left undisturbed and where you see the droppings.
You can leave it there all the time, or clean it up when you camp.

I did this, but at the same time I went around and sealed the camper, so cannot say which was more effective.
I took off roof vent interior trim, used duct tape and sealed off ceiling so they cant crawl in the spaces and into the vent and into the cabin, put trim back up.
I caulked under where the wall meets the frame so they cannot crawl up that. I caulked around all pipes and whatever I saw so they had nowhere to enter. I also caulked places on the inside that looked like a place.

The Diatomaceous Earth will not stop them, but will slow them down at least. It might stop some dead, but there are more to replace them.

I have not seen any droppings nor any palmetto bugs in camper since then.

Also keep your sink/shower p-traps full of water as they will crawl up those if they have access to tanks. Keep tanks closed.
Tanks also have roof vents that are 100% open to the air for them to crawl down in, consider how you will mitigate that issue.

Chemicals inside are your last resort as cancer is a real thing you want to avoid decades from now.

[Bob K4TAX]

Originally Posted by Bob K4TAX

Having lived in S. FL where the big flying palmetto bugs are regular occurrences, we have found that sprinkling generous amounts of 20 Mule Team Borax, the laundry detergent, will kill them. Plus it is non-toxic to pets and humans.

When you are ready to travel, just vacuum it up and toss it away.

I'll not go into the sex life of a cockroach. Studies have it, that in the event of a nuclear attack, the cockroach will survive.

Bob

Sporting goods stores usually have and sell roach traps. Bait them and catch them live. They make excellent fish bait.

Bob

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

Palmetto bugs are a colloquial term for certain species of cockroaches.

Pretty sure it's a realtor-invented term.

[PopFla]

Originally Posted by Bob K4TAX

Studies have it, that in the event of a nuclear attack, the cockroach will survive.

Along with this guy.

[PenJoe]

Roaches can hide in the smallest spaces, They can enter a living space vias the smallest of openings (window seams, door seams AC. They like cardboard hideouts and you can carry them in unknowingly We have a home in roach country Florida. We have found roach killer tabs (tablets) very effective. When we return from travel. we will find dead ones which means they are working. Rarely do we see a live one. They are night creatures. If you have roaches and turn on a light at night, they will scurry off.

Try Harris roach tabs or equivalent. They are harmless and odorless to people and pets and last a long time. Just place them where pets/children can't get to them to chew them. I believe they have a boric acid content that is toxic to roaches. Put them anyplace like storage areas, behind wall areas you can get to, ducting, under seats. Boric acid powder is also effective, but has residue.

Dusts – A few insecticides used for cockroach control are applied as dusts or powders. Most familiar to householders are boric acid and diatomaceous earth. For controlling cockroaches, boric acid tends to be more effective. Roaches succumb to boric acid after crawling over treated surfaces.

https://www.amazon.com/Harris-Roach-...59&sr=8-1&th=1

[Jrcandy]

Bifen with IGR (insect growth regulator). Mix together and spray inside first then outside. Wait 2 to 4 weeks and repeat. After that, twice a year should take care of them.

[doanshop]

I use this safe around all animals (cats you need to let it dry before letting them in area) I spray all corners in cabinets any open food needs to be covered



https://www.amazon.com/Durvet-31031-...s%2C168&sr=8-5

[Gottaluvlife]

Try diatomaceous earth..behind or under appliances in dark corners, near plumbing (water)
they will crawl through and bring back to their colony
eventually die.

[PopFla]

Originally Posted by PenJoe

Try Harris roach tabs or equivalent. They are harmless and odorless to people and pets and last a long time.

Harris also makes a liquid roach spray. It's been very effective for us here in Florida.

[GoingNoWhereFast]

What is your location?? It not in your profile. You might try leaving the TT out side in the sun and Closed up tight. If it get above 100degs inside, it will effectively kill off all the bugs inside without any risk of chemical contamination.



And read the label of anything you do use. I see a number of people on here have mentions products that definitely come with hazard warnings as if they were safe/harmless to pets and humans. Trust the label, most of these items are actually vary hazardous if exposed to them. But manufacturers want to sell them, and you can't do that if you put too many warnings on the container. For the person who mentioned they eat Diatomacious earth, food grade is only 2%. And it still causes irritation to your innards.



For reference, my life is preventing workers from being poisoned. I know a lot about toxic materials. Try the heating technique, and then try to keep them from coming back.

[Bob K4TAX]

Use no chemicals that are hazardous to humans or pets........PLEASE. We've polluted this earth enough.

Natural materials such as BORAX do the job and don't pollute the earth.

Bob

[HopsBrewster]

I'll second borax. I'm truly surprised no one has mentioned it before Bob's post. Borax works and keeps working. It's very effective on ants, too.
When I bought my current house 25 years ago I didn't realize it was roach infested. I got a container of borax bait, laid it down in the dark places where roaches like to hang out, and within a couple days they were all gone for good.
3 or 4 years later I had ants around my dog's bowls. I put down the borax bait and the ants were gone, never to return.
I still have that bottle of borax bait because it works SAFELY.