Why Are Cockroaches Attracted to Cardboard?

Terry Stephanie

Nearly all homes are infested with cockroaches. They are really invasive and good at hiding. You will find them in weird places such as wall cracks, holes and including cardboard boxes. You can never miss roaches in cardboard boxes? Why are cockroaches attracted to cardboard boxes? Can cockroaches eat cardboard? How do you keep roaches out of cardboard boxes? Learn more.

Why are cockroaches attracted to cardboard boxes? It is a common thing to find roaches in cardboard boxes for obvious reason. Cardboard boxes serves as a perfect hiding places where the roaches can live and breed safely. Often you throw or keep boxes where there is little human activity. The cardboard boxes near your apartment, kitchen or laundry room are the spots where the roaches are likely to be found. The roaches in some other cases tend to use the cardboard and its glue as food.

Also Read: What Attracts Cockroaches to Your Home?

Roaches have powerful mandibles to chew through the cardboard. It is even gets easier if the cardboard is old, torn or wet.

Can cockroaches eat cardboard?

Yes. Cockroaches can eat cardboard. Remember cardboard is nothing but paper product made from plant. This means that roaches can get nutrition from the cardboard without harm to their body.

Cardboard are also fixed with glue which is derived from animal products as fat or sometimes bone. Roaches can also eat the glue since it provides the nutrients roaches need. While cockroaches can eat cardboard and its glue, they may also feed on the items stored in the cardboard boxes. It could be books, food, clothing or magazines.

Also Read: What Do Cockroaches Eat?

Do cockroaches Like Cardboard boxes?

Obviously yes, cockroaches do like cardboard boxes? The main reason why you are most likely to find roaches in cardboard boxes, is the fact it provides a good shelter for the roaches. It is the cardboard boxes where the roaches build their shelter and hide from threat.

The boxes provides a perfect and secure place where the roaches will lay eggs. Usually, if you flip the bottom of the boxes, you will find numerous eggs laid some ready to be hatched.

The boxes also gives the roaches a secure room where they can molt, shed their exoskeleton and regenerate safely. This means that the roaches can go about their lifecycle and eventually developing a full colony with minimal disturbance.

Why Do Roaches Like Cardboard Boxes?

Cockroaches are the most invasive household pests. Why do roaches like cardboard boxes? Here are some of the reasons why roaches like cardboard boxes:

Food- cockroaches are known to feed on almost anything. Cardboard is made from paper basically derived from plants. This implies that roaches can comfortably eat the cardboard boxes as food. The glue in cardboard is also nutritious since it is derived from fat or bone which is basically is nutrients to roaches.
Moisture – depending on where the cardboard boxes are places, they may provide moisture to the roaches. Roaches love damp places, so if the cardboard get wet, this may be a good source of water or moisture
Darkness – cockroaches like living in dark and secluded places. The inside of cardboard boxes is a good place for hiding especially if the cardboard is filled with other items such magazines, paints, books or clothes.
Privacy – since cardboard boxes are usually placed where little or human activity goes on, roaches find such places private to build their nests and lay eggs.

Do Cockroaches Live in Cardboard Boxes?

Yes, cockroaches can live in cardboard boxes for a long time especially if they are not disturbed. The cardboard offer a secure place where they cannot only hide but also lay eggs. Cardboard boxes are found in storage areas where there is little human activity. It is usually in dark and secluded area where the roaches can hide especially during the day.

The roaches do live in cardboard boxes since in most cases this is where extra food is stored. A cardboard boxes found in the basement is also good for the roaches since if there is leaking or flooding, the roaches are guaranteed of moisture and mold.

Cardboard boxes also provides the roaches with the crawling space to access most areas of the home such as food source in the kitchen. Smaller cardboard boxes such as those used for holding food in your pantry can be attractive to roaches.

Can Cockroaches Chew Through Cardboard?

Yes cockroaches can chew through cardboards. Cardboard boxes are thick but not thick for roaches not to chew through. Remember, roaches have powerful mandibles, they are able to eat through cardboards. But this depend on the type of cardboard. Roaches are able to eat through soft of thin materials such as soft foods, thin plastic and standard paper.

Cardboard may be too thick for roaches to chew through. If the cardboard is made by a multiple of layers of paper pulp such that it becomes a thick, well-structured able to hold weight, it may be hard for roaches to chew through.

Types of Cardboards that Roaches Can Chew Through:

Old Cardboard

Roaches can still eat through an old cardboard; one that has been used several times over multiple years such that it loses its structural strength. Once this type of cardboard becomes ripped and torn, brittle and softened or thinned out, it becomes easy for the roaches to eat through.

Wet Cardboard

Cockroaches can easily chew through a wet cardboard. A cardboard box stored outside, in basement, or your garage becomes easily damaged by water. It loses its strengthen and the layers are easily ripped. This kind cardboard boxes become soft and are an easy target for roaches to chew through.

Cardboard Glue

Remember cardboards are made from plant material and their glue is made from fat or bone of animals. If the roaches fail to eat the cardboard, they can still eat the glue. The glue provides nutrition in form of fats, proteins and carbs. Roaches are known to feed on almost on everything.

How Do You Keep Roaches Out Of Cardboard Boxes?

To keep roaches out of cardboard boxes, start by removing all the items from the box and clean each independently. If there are fabrics, use a washing machine with detergents. You can also bleach to clean the fabrics.

Here is how to keep roaches out of the cardboard boxes:

Remove and shake any leftovers, roach dropping or molts outside
Make a mixture of water and bleach – 3 volume of water and 1 volume of bleach
Dip in a piece of cloth or towel in the mixture and then wring it out
Gently rub this across the full inner surfaces of the box
Gently, scrub the lid flaps and outside of the box
Make sure to scrub away any traces of egg casings, skin or stained poop
Place the box outside in the sun to dry and air out

You may also spray disinfectant across the box, although this will not be enough. A little hand scrub is needed to ensure that all traces are properly removed. The bleach is used to kill the bacteria while the sun is meant to kill off mold spores usually carried by the roaches.

How to Get Rid of Cockroach Eggs on Cardboard?

To eliminate and get rid of cockroach eggs on cardboard, first start by exposing them to direct sunlight. If you cannot get direct sunlight, then you can substitute with your oven. It can as well get rid of roach eggs effectively. You can also use bleach to expose the eggs.

Also Read: Cockroach Eggs: What They Look Like, How to Kill & Get Rid

Here’s how to use an oven to get rid of cockroach eggs on cardboard boxes: