Monitors first
Best cockroach traps
The best cockroach trap is a monitor, not a cure. A sticky card on the floor at a harborage tells you whether the bait job is working and whether the next apartment is feeding yours. People buy “roach traps” expecting the board to end a German infestation. It will not. Pair it with Best roach bait.
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Best monitor: Sticky cockroach / insect monitors. Place insect monitors on the floor against the toe-kick and under the sink, not on a clean counter. Date them. A rising nymph count means the bait is in the wrong crack or the neighbor is untreated.
Compare the picks
| Role | Tool | Best for | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best monitor | Sticky cockroach / insect monitors | Kitchens and bath vanities | Hardware |
| Best flat board | Catchmaster 72MAX glue boards | Under the stove and refrigerator | Hardware |
| Best actual control beside the trap | Combat Max cockroach gel bait (syringe) | The cracks the monitor is scoring | Labeled product |
Which one to buy
Hardware
Sticky cockroach / insect monitors
Best monitor — Place insect monitors on the floor against the toe-kick and under the sink, not on a clean counter. Date them. A rising nymph count means the bait is in the wrong crack or the neighbor is untreated.
Hardware
Catchmaster 72MAX glue boards
Best flat board — A low profile reaches the harborage a thick station misses. Replace it when dust or grease coats the glue.
Labeled product
Combat Max cockroach gel bait (syringe)
Best actual control beside the trap — If the card is full of German cockroaches, you need bait in those harborages. The card is the scoreboard.
How to read the card
Adults on a card mean a harborage nearby. Mostly small nymphs mean a population that is still hatching, which is why an IGR sometimes joins the gel. A card that catches American cockroaches in a basement is a moisture and sewer clue, not a German-kitchen clue. Do not buy the same placement for both.
Common questions
Do cockroach traps kill the nest?
No. Glue catches individuals that walk on it. Bait carried back to the harborage is the control. Use traps to aim the bait.
Where should I put roach traps?
On the floor at the back of the sink cabinet, beside the refrigerator, and along the pantry toe-kick. Not in the middle of the room.
How many traps do I need?
Several per room that shows activity, checked weekly. One trap on a windowsill tells you almost nothing about a German kitchen.