Why Do Roaches Come Out at Night? The Shocking Truth Revealed

It is very uncomfortable for a person to see a cockroach crawling in his house at night. And if you see one, it means there is a whole army of them. Roaches are notorious for being most active at night. 

Many questions arise due to their nighttime activity, such as: why do roaches come out at night? Why do they hide during the day? Why do they like taking the cover of darkness? The answers to all of these questions will be revealed in this article.

The main reason is nocturnal behavior

The main reason roaches come out at night is their natural nocturnal behavior. Nocturnal literally means “active at night.” 

Roaches have an internal circadian rhythm that influences their behavior, meaning they are biologically programmed to be active during the night and to rest during the day. 

During the daytime, they are inactive, hiding in tiny, quiet, dark, and damp places, waiting for the lights to go out.

Reasons Why Roaches Only Come Out at Night

Less Human Activity

Humans kill the roaches whenever they see them, so roaches have avoided coming out during the daytime when humans are most active. At night, when we are sleeping, roaches come out and have great freedom. 

They find their nutrients without feeling disturbed or any fear of being damaged. This is one of the ultimate reasons you don’t see roaches come out during the day.

Preference for Dark Environment

Naturally, roaches prefer a dark environment to live in. During the daytime, they hide in different tiny areas to save themselves from the attacks of predators like birds and reptiles. Darkness also provides them safety from different predators. 

Moreover, staying in a dark environment greatly diminishes their chances of capture. Hence, they make their shelter under the sink, in holes in the walls, sewerage, etc. They also hide behind the fridge because it is a dark and quiet place, and it is difficult to get rid of them behind the fridge. 

Ideal Time for Food & Water

When the lights are off and humans are asleep, roaches find it easy to find their food. Kitchens in the night are much quieter, so roaches climb the shelves and eat the leftover crumbs of food. They are free to move in the sink or bathroom getting the moist environment for themselves. Hence, the nighttime is ideal for obtaining food and water for the cockroaches.

Ideal Time for Mating and Reproduction

Although roaches appear to be loners, they are actually social insects. They love producing colonies. The presence of dark provides roaches the perfect environment for mating. They reproduce in greater numbers in the dark without fear of predators. 

Nighttime provides them with cover for breeding, laying eggs, and expanding their colonies. The shelter provided by a dark environment protects the survival of their offspring. Hence, their population increases rapidly.

Sensitivity to Light

Roaches are extremely sensitive to light. They are highly specific to it. If you turn the light on when a cockroach is around, it tries to run away. They don’t like the light because it gives them signals of danger nearby. 

If they accidentally come into contact with light, their only mission becomes retreating and hiding. 

Reduced Pet Activity

Roaches are worried about human pets because they cause a lot of damage to them by hitting them. For example, a pet cat does not eat roaches but it will kill it by hitting it constantly by the paws. Similar to the reduced activity of humans at night, pets are also inactive, allowing roaches to move freely around the house without interference.

Sensitivity to Temperature

Roaches are also sensitive to temperature. They like moderate temperature and moist environment for living. During the day, it is extremely hot and it makes the conditions uncomfortable for them. 

During nighttime, increased humidity helps them locate food and water sources. In this way, they prevent themselves from being dried or dehydrated. This is why they love living in dark and damp sites.

Less Vibrant Smell 

During the daytime, strong smells from cooking and other food sources fill the air. As we know, roaches use chemical signals from other roaches to locate food, water, and hiding spots. The strong odors present during the day make it difficult for roaches to detect chemical signals. Therefore, roaches come out at night when daytime smells fade away.

How to Stop Roaches From Coming Out at Night

Before going to the preventive measures, you should first know what things are causing roach infestation in your house. It can be due to leftover food crumbs, dirty dishes, or sometimes we just leave the left-out pet food which can attract the roaches. Leakage in water pipes can also allow roaches to come out and enjoy the moist area. An unhygienic environment also makes it promising for the roaches’ growth.

We can adapt certain measures to prevent roach infestation. Some are as follows ;

Insulating Door Stoppers

You should use insulating door stoppers beneath the door so that no cockroach can enter your rooms. Also fix the small holes in the windows, in the walls, or the ceilings.

Cover Your Food

Food must not be left open. It should be covered. You can use mini refrigerators for this purpose. Also, don’t leave the unwashed dishes in your room.

Proper Air Circulation

Keep your house neat and clean all the time. Maintain proper air circulation in your home to prevent humidification.

Use Insecticides

The last measure is the use of chemical sprays. There are many insecticide sprays available in the market that you can use to kill the roaches and inhibit their activity for a long interval of time.

Final Words

Roaches are one of the causes of discomfort for humans. Cockroaches only expose themselves during nighttime because they have a nocturnal nature, which prevents them from being found during the day. They avoid coming out during the daytime to ensure their safety from humans, pets, birds, and reptiles

They are highly specific to light and temperature, they love to live in dark, quiet, damp, and humid places. They expand their colonies by breeding in the dark. By understanding why roaches come out at night and eliminating the conditions that attract them, you can control and prevent their presence in your house.

FAQs

Why do cockroaches stay in one spot for a long time?

Cockroaches staying in one spot for a long time is probably because they are waiting for you to turn off the lights. As they are nocturnal in behavior, it means that they only prefer darkness to move from one spot to another. 

They may be busy eating food or cleaning themselves. They may feel threatened by humans or pets and wait for them to leave so they can return home. 

Why do cockroaches come out in summer?

Due to intense heat, they come out of their hiding spots to prevent dehydration. Hotness also increases their reproducing rate, requiring more food and water. So, they come out in summer to hunt for more nutrients.

Will keeping lights on keep roaches away?

Roaches are nocturnal in behavior. They prefer to be active at night and avoid bright lights. Lights do not work as a deterrent for roaches, but they prefer to avoid them. If they are exposed to lights for a longer time, they can also adapt to it.