DIY Vegas Roach Trap

One of the more popular homemade traps developed for roaches is the vegas roach trap. Aside from its catchy name, many users have proved its effectiveness and inexpensiveness which you can try for yourself.

If you wonder why is it called like that, because this trap is featured in a Las Vegas-based TV show. In this method, a liquid mixture is placed inside a jar or any container for the purpose of drowning the roaches. The mixture also acts as an attractant for the roaches. Now, this method achieved different versions by either changing the bait or changing the structure of the bottle.

The original version of the trap which is featured in the said Las Vegas show uses coffee grounds and water. According to the statement of Kirk Janowiak, a famous writer about insects, coffee mixtures may attract roaches but only to some degree. They may be more attracted to some other foods at your home, but in the case of coffee, it is made for them to drown. The vegas roach trap utilizes the attractive power of coffee to attract the roaches. It can be effective for some, but may be ineffective for others. That's why there are different versions rising from the original trap.

To make this trap, simply prepare an empty jar with smooth surface on the inside. Apparently, roaches are struggling to climb frictionless surfaces. After that, place the mixture of coffee grounds and water inside, which will act as a bait for the roaches (check out some pictures here). It is then placed beside a wall where there is a high roach traffic. You can also stick rough textures on the outside of the jar to make it easier for the roaches to climb up. When the roaches are inside, they cannot climb up and therefore will drown in the mixture. Many experts say that caffeine in the coffee can kill the roaches, but in this trap, drowning is utilized. If this doesn't sound like something you'd want to deal with then some commercially available roach traps like those listed here might be the best bet for you.

There is an improved method that someone developed to enhance the effectiveness of the vegas roach trap. In that method, he reconstructed the entire jar. He added a covering obtained from the top portion of a bottle then stick it upside down in the jar. This lessens the chance of escape of the trapped roaches. The first bait he used are beer and bread. In his experience, this bait did not prove much effectiveness so he decided to switch to coffee grounds. The new bait works well and he is satisfied with the result.

Someone also made enhancements in the vegas roach trap. In his post, he said that wet coffee grounds is still the best effective and natural method for trapping roaches, so instead of changing the bait, he improved its cleanliness.

This is also quite economical since you will not change the coffee grounds every time you clean the jar. He placed the wet coffee grounds inside the upper part of a plastic wine bottle that is placed inside the jar. The jar is then filled with water without touching the coffee grounds inside the wine bottle.

When placing the bait, he tilted the jar against the wall and the plastic wine bottle tilts against the wall. The coffee grounds will attract the roaches and once they try to grab it, they will just slide down the smooth surface of the jar into the water and drown. You can easily clean the trap by removing the water without replacing the coffee ground bait.

This is an effective homemade roach traps out there where many users are satisfied with the result. Its simplicity makes way to new improvements while retaining its effectiveness. Who knows, maybe you can also make new version of it and increase its effectiveness. Or if you'd like to try something else, these home remedies for getting of roaches might be worth a look. But it doesn't hurt to use the vegas roach trap with other solutions too.