First, don’t panic. Panic is counterproductive, and it makes you drop your phone. Take a breath. Then, play detective.
Grab a flashlight and check the dark, cozy spots: under the fridge, behind the stove, inside cabinets, near pipes. Look for frass—fancy word for roach poop. It looks like tiny black pepper flecks. Also, check for egg cases, which look like little brown purses.
If you find any of those signs, you’ve confirmed the party. It’s time to take action. Call an exterminator, buy some gel bait, or set out sticky traps. But please, for the love of all that is good, do not squash it. Squashing a roach releases pheromones that attract more roaches. It’s like sending out a dinner invitation.
Instead, capture it or let it run. I know it feels wrong, but squashing is a rookie move. You want to report the scout, not kill it.
Can You Ever Have Just One?
The internet is full of stories—like “I saw one roach, set a trap, and never saw another one again!” Don’t let those lies soothe you. Those people probably had a single drunk roach wander in and out, or they caught it before it could signal the colony.
If You See A Cockroach Are There More | Detroit Chinatown
But for 99% of us regular folks? If you see one, you have a problem. It’s like finding one sock in your laundry—you know the other one is around somewhere, it’s just being annoying. Except instead of a sock, it’s a thousand tiny cousins.
The good news? You are not powerless. Roaches are predictable. They come for food, water, and warmth. Cut off the water, keep crumbs off the floor, and seal up cracks. You can turn your home into a highly inconvenient motel for them.
