Roach bait 346558 219636240 2008-06-16T04:54:16Z PlankBot 7310603 Robot-assisted disambiguation: Eggs - Changed link(s) to [[Egg (biology)]] {{Unreferenced|date=January 2008}} {{Expand|date=January 2008}} '''Roach bait''' is a [[pest control]] tool used for the [[extermination]] of [[cockroach]]es at indoor locations. The effectiveness of this method of pest control exploits the [[cannibalistic]] tendencies of cockroaches. == Mechanism == Cockroaches live in nests. As such, killing a few roaches that happen to wander into a [[Trapping (Animal)|trap]] is an inadequate means of controlling the pest. Even if all adult roaches outside the nest are killed, some live [[Egg (biology)|eggs]] will remain in the nest and eventually hatch, leading to an [[exponential growth]] problem. Instead of trapping any roaches, the [[bait]] contains concentrated [[poison]] with a [[slow-release]] mechanism. In the case of [[boric acid]], the bait is a slow-acting [[toxin]] which adheres to its body. The roach then returns to the nest, eventually dying. However, the poison remains in (or on) its body, which the other roaches in the nest soon eat, becoming poisoned as well. In this way, each roach not only becomes a ''dead roach crawling'', but also acts like a [[Typhoid Mary]] to the other roaches. Eventually the nest fills up with poisonous [[carcass]]es, turning the nest itself into a death trap. == External links == *[http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef614.asp Cockroach Elimination] Pest control fact sheet from the College of [[Entomology]] at [[University of Kentucky]] {{animal-stub}} [[Category:Insecticides]] [[Category:Pest control]]