Cockroaches are known to be tenacious survivors; these critters can cause different kinds of problems for homeowners.
They are shameless creatures, often coming out at night to scavenge for food, and they can squeeze into tiny cracks and crevices. This leaves many people wondering, can cockroaches climb up walls?
Yes, cockroaches can climb up walls! In fact, they are very good at it. Cockroaches have been known to easily scale vertical surfaces like walls and ceilings.
Their bodies are designed for this purpose, as they have long legs and flattened bodies that make it easy for them to grip on surfaces.
People often have trouble getting rid of cockroaches, even when they’re only crawling on the floor. When these pests start climbing up walls, it can be even more difficult to get rid of them.
Their uncanny ability to travel to hard-to-reach places, including ceilings and walls, makes it difficult to target them with traditional methods like pesticides and traps.
How Can Cockroaches Climb Up Walls?
One of the things that make cockroaches so challenging to deal with is their ability to climb up walls. This gives them a seemingly limitless number of hiding places and makes them very difficult to eliminate. So, how do cockroaches climb up walls?
The answer lies in their anatomy. Let’s find out how:
Cockroaches Have Six Legs
Cockroaches have six legs, which gives them a distinct advantage when it comes to climbing walls. Their legs are specially adapted to cling to surfaces, and they can scale even the slickest of walls with ease.
It has two claws that can grip surfaces really well. These legs not only allow cockroaches to walk and climb up the walls, but also ceilings. This is because their legs are very long in proportion to their bodies.
Cockroaches Have Long Legs
Another reason why cockroaches can climb walls so easily is because they have long legs. A cockroach’s leg consists of three sections: the coxa, which is attached to the body; the trochanter, which acts as a hinge; and the femur, which is the longest section. This design allows cockroaches to move their legs rapidly and with great force, propelling them upwards.
Cockroaches also have claws at the end of their legs that help them grip onto rough surfaces. They also secrete a sticky substance from their feet, allowing them to cling to walls or all vertical surfaces they walk on.
Cockroaches Have Flattened Bodies
While most insects have round bodies, cockroaches have a flat body, which gives them a larger surface area to cling to. This, combined with their long legs and claws, makes it easy for cockroaches to grip onto surfaces and climb up walls. This, combined with other factors, makes cockroaches very adept at climbing up walls.
How to Stop Cockroaches from Climbing Up Walls (And Ceilings!)
While it may be disheartening to know that cockroaches can climb up walls, there are some things you can do to keep them from taking over your home.
There’s nothing worse than seeing one of these pests running across your walls! Here are some tips to keep cockroaches from climbing up walls:
Use Pest Control Methods
One of the best ways to keep cockroaches from climbing up walls is to use pest control methods. This can include things like traps, baits, and pesticides.
Traps can be placed along the base of the walls, where cockroaches usually travel. Baits can be used to attract cockroaches and then kill them.
Pesticides, on the other hand, instantly kill cockroaches on contact. This may be the most effective way to get rid of a single roach, but it has its own set of drawbacks.
Aside from the pungent smell, pesticides can be harmful to humans and pets if misused. Additionally, this only kills the pest on sight. It doesn’t address the infestation or kill other roaches that could be hiding in other parts of your home.
Seal Off Cracks and Crevices
You probably know this by now, but cracks and crevices are where most cockroaches like to hide during the day. This provides a suitable habitat for roaches as they can find food and water easily.
To prevent cockroaches from climbing up walls, seal off these cracks and crevices with caulk or another sealant. This will make it harder for roaches to travel along the base of your walls and eventually force them to leave searching for a new home.
Use Repellents
There are several repellents available that can keep cockroaches away. Some of these repellents work by emitting a sound that cockroaches find unpleasant. Others work by releasing a chemical that roaches find offensive. Either way, these repellents can be very effective at keeping cockroaches from climbing up walls and infesting your home.
Keep Your Home Clean
One of the best ways to prevent cockroaches from taking over your home is to keep it clean. Cockroaches are attracted to food and water, so by keeping your kitchen and bathroom clean, you can make it less inviting for them.
Make sure that there are no food crumbs or other food sources exposed in the open. Make it a habit to empty your garbage cans regularly as well.
Use Natural Methods
There are a number of natural methods that can be used to keep cockroaches away. Some of these include using essential oils, diatomaceous earth, and boric acid. Essential oils like peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil can be used to repel cockroaches.
Prepare a mixture of essential oils with water, and spray along your walls (or in areas where cockroaches stay) to keep them away. Surprisingly, cockroaches hate peppermint’s scent!
Diatomaceous earth is a type of powder that can be used to kill cockroaches (and other pests). This works by dehydrating the pests and eventually killing them.
Boric acid is another effective method, but it should be used with caution as it can be harmful to humans and pets if ingested.
Final Thoughts
Cockroaches are good wall climbers, and they’re fast too! Their leg’s structure is perfect for gripping surfaces, and their long antennae help them balance.
Cockroaches can climb up walls because of all these reasons, but there are things you can do to prevent them from taking over your home.
Use pest control methods, seal off cracks and crevices, use repellents, keep your home clean, or try natural methods – all of these are proven to be effective in keeping cockroaches away.
