Will Light Keep Cockroaches Away From My House?

There are some species of cockroaches that prefer the darkness of the night. So, if you’re wondering, will light keep cockroaches away? Your question is valid, and I can see where you’re coming from.

You don’t want them crawling through your house at night, using their photoreceptor eyes that allow them to see very well and move around. It’s true that most cockroaches will run away if you turn on your light, but can you use light as a good cockroach deterrent method? Keep reading to learn more.

 

Will Light Keep Cockroaches Away?

The answer is both yes and no. Cockroaches indeed do not like light and if you turn on the light they will run away. This is because when you turn on the light, cockroaches feel exposed and their predators can see them very well to hunt them so they will try to avoid the light and will stay away from the places you have light on.

So if you don’t want them to crawl on your bed at night, you can keep the lights in your room on. It has also been observed that the best kind of light you can use to keep cockroaches away is a red light.

But this method may not work for a long time because the lights in your room will not light all corners of the room, so cockroaches will still find a hiding place to stay. And also when cockroaches get too hungry or thirsty they will come out from their hiding spots to find food that will help them survive. 

 

Can Roaches See In The Dark?

Yes, cockroaches can see in the dark. They are nocturnal creatures who are mostly active at night and as such have developed eyes that help them see at night and in pitch darkness.

These eyes have over 2000 light sensing cells in them. Not only is their sight good in the dark but their sense of feeling is also heightened so that if you walk close to them or try to squish them, they will feel it which will make them run away from you. 

 

Do Cockroaches Hate Red Light?

Yes, It has been observed that most species of cockroaches are deterred by red light. According to the research that Kaitlin Dean carried out in the 2017 California State Science Fair;

All cockroaches react differently under different lights but under red light, most cockroach species’ activities were greatly reduced. In conclusion, red light was found to be a good cockroach deterrent. You can read all about Kaitlain’s science project about cockroaches and lights here. 

 

Other Things That Will Keep Cockroaches Away From Your House At Night

Apart from using something that isn’t harmful to you or your pet’s health like lights to keep cockroaches away from disturbing you at night. Here are other things you can do:

1. Use a peppermint solution

You can make a solution with peppermint and spray in your house. This will help keep cockroaches away from your house. To make this spray this is what you can do; 

• Get a peppermint oil, a botter, and water ready. 
• Put water and then 13-20 droplets of peppermint oil in the bottle
• Make sure you mix it well before applying 
• Then spray the solution in the places where cockroaches are likely to be. Do not spray it on places where you keep your food. 

2. Coffee grounds

Get some coffee grounds and spray it where cockroaches like to hide in the house like the closet floor and under the carpets

3. Clean up food crumbs and trash before going to bed. 

4. Call in pest control service professionals to help you deal with cockroaches if you notice any around you. 

 

Read also: Wood Cockroach NH: Appearance, Habitat And Diet

 

Conclusion

Yes, if you leave your light on it will keep cockroaches away from your house but for a short while. Use red lights as they have been proven to be the best light that keeps cockroaches away.

But more research is needed to establish this as a fact. There are also other things you can do to keep cockroaches away like making a peppermint solution and spraying coffee grounds around your house.

For the best results of keeping cockroaches away combine all the methods I mentioned above. Remember always use peppermint with caution. 

 

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