As the Lunar New Year approaches, households everywhere are busy dusting and cleaning, eager to welcome the new year with a spotless home. But a thorough year-end cleanup involves more than just wiping windows, mopping floors, and tidying up clutter—the real headache lies in those unwelcome guests hiding in every nook and cranny: cockroaches!
Today, we'll walk you through the top hiding spots where cockroaches love to nest. By targeting these “hotspots” during your deep clean, you can eliminate these pesky intruders effectively and leave them nowhere to hide!
No. 01
What Are Cockroaches? — Nature's Ultimate Survivors
Eliminate Cockroaches
Cockroaches are among the oldest insects on Earth—remarkably resilient creatures that have thrived for hundreds of millions of years. Fossil evidence shows they first appeared as early as the Carboniferous period, around 350 million years ago, coexisting with dinosaurs, and are thus considered living fossils.
Belonging to the order Blattodea within the class Insecta, cockroaches comprise a highly diverse group. Globally, there are approximately 5,000 known species, with about 250 species found in China alone.
The cockroach fossils or specimens preserved in amber that we've discovered bear striking resemblance to the ones lurking in your kitchen cabinets today—indicating that, over hundreds of millions of years, their physical appearance has changed very little. Yet, their resilience and adaptability have only grown stronger, enabling them to survive and thrive across virtually every corner of the globe. In Beijing, two primary species dominate: the German cockroach (Blattella germanica) and the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana). Among these, the German cockroach is currently the predominant—and most commonly encountered—species in the region. It is the smallest of all indoor cockroaches, measuring just 10–15 millimeters in length, with a light brown (tea-brown) body; females tend to be slightly darker in color. Notably, the German cockroach exhibits the strongest adaptability and widest distribution, making it the most difficult household pest to control.
In addition to the German cockroach, the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) can also be found in the Beijing area. It primarily inhabits underground sewer systems and occasionally wanders indoors. Generally measuring 25–40 millimeters in length, it has a reddish-brown body and is distinguished by a large, dark brown, butterfly-shaped marking on the dorsal plate (pronotum) of its thorax.
American Cockroach
No. 02
Why Eliminate Cockroaches? — Serious Health and Hygiene Risks
Eliminate Cockroaches
Cockroaches are widely distributed across the country, infesting countless homes and buildings. Virtually any place where people live or gather is vulnerable to cockroach invasion. Their presence poses significant risks, primarily in the following areas:
Human contact with cockroach secretions, feces, vomit, and pathogenic microorganisms carried on their bodies can trigger allergic reactions, leading to conditions such as allergic dermatitis or rhinitis. This is especially concerning for individuals with asthma or other respiratory diseases. Notably, allergy cases linked to cockroach exposure are becoming increasingly prevalent and severe—posing a growing public health concern that can no longer be ignored.
2. Environmental Contamination
Cockroaches possess scent glands that secrete a foul-smelling liquid. As a result, their nesting areas and any surfaces or food items they crawl over become tainted with a persistent, unpleasant odor, leading to environmental contamination.
Moreover, cockroaches can damage household belongings—they gnaw on clothing, books, documents, and artwork—and readily consume a variety of edibles, including pastries, candies, fruits, and other stored food items.
No. 03
Where Do Cockroaches Hide? — Masters of Cracks and Crevices
Eliminate Cockroaches
Cockroaches prefer warm, humid environments with easy access to food and plenty of hidden cracks or holes for shelter. Kitchens harbor the highest concentrations of cockroaches, but they are also frequently found in bathrooms and bedrooms.
These pests are nocturnal—they emerge at night to forage and remain hidden during the day. Common hiding spots include corners of walls, cabinets, and drawers; gaps and crevices in walls, kitchen cabinets, tables, and other furniture; as well as inside cardboard boxes, wooden crates, and cluttered piles of items.
In short, “cracks, holes, corners, and clutter” are their favorite hiding places.
Taking the kitchen as an example, common cockroach hiding spots include:
★ The inner corners of dish cabinets
★ Inside drawers and the cavities beneath them
★ Under the sink
★ Cracks and gaps around the stove
★ Wall crevices and holes
★ Gaps around electrical conduits, outlets, and wiring
★ Dark wall corners and cluttered piles
To detect cockroaches, inspect these areas thoroughly.
When carrying out cockroach control, these locations should be prioritized for bait placement and treatment.
