Unfortunately for homeowners in Virginia, cockroach infestations are fairly common. However, blocking potential entry holes and maintaining good standards of cleanliness can keep the pests at bay. If you notice roaches, you have natural and chemical insecticide options to battle the bugs.

For most homeowners, there’s nothing worse than the thought of cockroaches in the walls. Mice can be trapped, termites exterminated, but roaches? How on earth are you supposed to get rid of bugs that can supposedly survive a nuclear bomb blast? Roaches create a host of problems, including spreading dangerous diseases, so knowing how to prevent (or eliminate) them is crucial for any homeowner.

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Virginia cockroaches 101: How to recognize a roach

Of all the data lists that exist about the United States, the “Most Likely to Have Pests” is not one you want to be on. Sadly for Virginia, they rank #7 on that list, which means the likelihood that you run into cockroaches in your Virginia home is pretty high.

There are several different varieties of cockroaches that are common in Virginia, so knowing how to identify them is the first step in getting them out of your house.

American cockroaches

Any horror movie that features cockroaches typically uses the American cockroach. They can grow up to three inches long, and to add insult to injury, they have wings. These little nightmares usually live outdoors because rotting plant matter is what they consider five-star dining.

Brown-banded cockroaches

Much smaller than their American cockroach cousins, the brown-banded roach only gets about half an inch long. They’re dark brown with two light brown bands around their bodies, hence their name. Unfortunately, these little bugs prefer indoor habitats, so they’re more likely to make a home in your house.

Oriental cockroaches

The oriental cockroach is most often referred to as a “waterbug” because they love to hang out in damp areas. Sometimes that’s a marshy area outside, and sometimes that’s your bathroom drains. These little creeps are about an inch long, shiny, and black. If there’s a silver lining here, it’s that this particular variety of cockroach can’t fly.

German cockroaches

Almost strictly indoor pests, the German cockroach is probably the most destructive roach found in Virginia. They love dark, moist, and warm spots and love human food even more. However, like most roaches they’re nocturnal, so catching them might be tricky. You can identify them by their light brown color and dark stripes behind their heads.

MORE: How to get bugs off your car: A handy guide

A guide to cockroach identification

If your quick trip to the kitchen for a midnight snack brings you face-to-face with an unwanted six-legged houseguest, you’ll need to know what kind of roach it is before calling the exterminator. Here’s a chart that breaks down roach identification a little more:

Type of roach	Average length	Color	Can it fly?	Where to spot them
American cockroach	2-3 inches	Reddish-brown	Yes	Anywhere near rotting mulch or food
Brown-banded cockroach	0.5 inches	Dark brown with two light bands	Yes (males)	Under furniture, in cabinets or drawers
Oriental cockroach	1 inch	Shiny black	No	Damp areas like drains or pipes
German cockroaches	0.5 inches	Light brown	Yes	Kitchens and bathrooms (especially commercial)

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Some Virginia bugs look like roaches but really aren’t. Here are a few:

Crickets are about the same size and color as roaches, but the chirping is a dead giveaway.

June bugs are nearly the same size (or a little smaller) than most roaches, but they usually have rounder bodies.

Giant water bugs are really tricky since they look so similar to oriental cockroaches and frequent the same habitat. However, giant water bugs have rounder bodies than cockroaches.

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How to get rid of roaches in Virginia

If you’ve ever heard the phrase “misery loves company,” it applies to roaches. They certainly make homeowners miserable, and when you see one roach, you can bet they’ve brought company. Roaches can reproduce at a rate that would make bunnies blush, so a colony can grow in an alarmingly short period.

If you even suspect you have roaches in your home, the first step to take is cleaning and sanitizing. Roaches want two things—an undisturbed nesting place and a source of food. In your house, that can look like piles of dirty dishes, food in your cabinets, or trash bins. Clearing out the trash and cleaning up any spills or crumbs will deter hungry roaches.

Roaches can also carry and pass nasty bacteria onto humans, including things like E. coli, typhoid fever, and dysentery. It’s crucial to disinfect any areas where you suspect roaches have been and throw out any food they might have gotten into.

Next, you need to search around your house for any possible entry points and seal them off. In most cases, cleaning and covering gaps can take care of a roach problem. However, if you still notice roaches scuttling around, you may need to think about extermination.

Five natural roach killers

If you want a more natural solution that doesn’t involve chemicals and might be harmful to kids or pets, try some of these solutions:

Boric acid: Boric acid has a lot of common applications, including as an antiseptic for humans. But for roaches, boric acid wreaks havoc on their nervous systems and kills them very quickly.

Baking soda: Another common household item, baking soda mixed with a little sugar can become a tempting roach bait. Just sprinkle it in areas where you’ve seen roaches. When the roaches eat it, it creates internal gasses that eventually cause the roaches to explode.

Borax: Borax is a well-known household cleaner and laundry booster. It’s also roach kryptonite. Sprinkle it around areas where roaches hang out.

Diatomaceous earth: Made from fossilized algae, diatomaceous earth penetrates roaches’ hard exoskeletons, causing massive damage.

Glue traps: Much like a mouse glue trap, roach glue traps contain scents that lure roaches in until they get stuck in the sticky trap and can’t escape.

While these methods are cost-effective and safer than chemical extermination methods, they take a lot longer to kill roaches, especially in larger colonies.

Chemical roach killers—and when to hire an exterminator

If you want a faster way to get rid of roaches, you can try roach-killing methods with more potent chemicals. Here are some options that deliver quicker results:

Bait stations: Roaches will eat the bait in the station and then return to the colony where they quickly die. Their roach pals then eat the poisoned corpse, which causes more poisoned corpses. Wash, rinse, and repeat until the whole colony is wiped out.

Insecticide gel: You can put this gel directly into roach entry points, meaning cockroaches are killed before they even get in the house.

Roach spray: You can spray areas that see a lot of roach activity, and the spray sticks to the roaches when they pass through. They take that residue back to their colony, helping to wipe out the other roaches quickly.

Although they work faster than natural methods, chemical roach killers contain toxic substances that can harm pets or small children if ingested.

If you’ve tried several methods to get rid of roaches in your house, but they keep showing up, it might be time to call a professional exterminator. They can find where the roaches are coming from and use the most effective methods to get rid of them.

How to keep cockroaches from coming back

Once you’ve finally won the war against the roaches, make sure you take the necessary measures to keep the creepy crawlies from coming back.

Reduce moisture in your home by fixing any leaking pipes or drippy faucets. If your home is particularly humid, try running a dehumidifier.

Don’t leave food out for long periods, and avoid spills and dropping crumbs all over the house.

Watch out for cracks and gaps that roaches can sneak through.

Keep your home clean by regularly emptying trash cans, sweeping and mopping floors, and washing up dirty dishes promptly.

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How to choose the right kind of home insurance for you

How to save money on home and car insurance in Virginia

Homeownership comes with a lot of perils besides the possibility of roaches. Just like regular cleaning can keep your home protected from roaches and other pests, good home insurance coverage can protect your home from a whole list of other perils.

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Is it common to have roaches in Virginia?

Roaches are pretty common in Virginia, so it’s likely you might have to deal with an infestation at some point if you own a home.

Is it normal to see cockroaches in your house?

There are a lot of things in houses that appeal to roaches, like dark cabinets and plenty of food. So, seeing roaches in your house can be pretty common.

How do you get rid of roaches in Virginia?

To get rid of roaches, you can try more natural approaches like Borax or baking soda. If you want to get rid of roaches more quickly, you can try bait stations or even call a professional exterminator.

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