Do glue traps actually get rid of cockroaches?

They monitor and modestly reduce numbers, but Cornell IPM is direct that they're not a cure on their own. Their real value is mapping where the harborage is and how severe it's gotten, which then tells you where to focus vacuuming, sealing, and sanitation — or where to place gel bait. Relying on glue traps alone while ignoring the harborage they're pointing to won't clear an established infestation.

Where should I place cockroach monitors?

Flush against walls and tucked into corners near suspected harborage, such as under the sink, behind the refrigerator, or near a dishwasher. Reading a monitor weekly tells you severity — nymphs alongside adults signal an established population — and inspecting five to ten feet from a heavily hit monitor is where extension guidance suggests you'll usually find the actual harborage.

Can vacuuming really reduce a cockroach infestation?

Yes, meaningfully, when you know where the harborage is. Cornell IPM notes a HEPA vacuum can dramatically reduce roach numbers at a known harborage location, making it one of the more underrated mechanical tools available, especially right after glue monitors have pointed you to the exact spot. Dispose of the vacuum bag or canister contents immediately outdoors afterward, since roaches and egg cases can survive inside it and re-establish.

How do I stop crickets from getting into my basement?

Seal cracks and crevices around the foundation and any gaps around doors, windows, and vents, since these are the entry points crickets use most. Sticky traps placed flat against the baseboard and tucked into corners catch a good number, but for camel crickets specifically, running a dehumidifier addresses the actual driver — high basement humidity — more effectively than trapping alone.

Are earwigs dangerous, and how do I control them mechanically?

Earwigs look intimidating with their pincers but are not dangerous to people; they're mostly a moisture-driven nuisance pest that wanders in rather than a species that damages a structure. Reduce basement and crawlspace humidity, seal foundation cracks and door gaps, and vacuum up any found indoors. As with camel crickets, fixing the moisture problem does more long-term good than repeatedly removing the earwigs it keeps attracting inside.

Can I physically stop termites without chemicals?

Only in a limited way, and this page is honest about that limit. The EPA notes that steel mesh and correctly graded sand particles work as physical barriers, but they're primarily effective when installed during new construction — retrofitting them into an existing home is far harder. For an existing structure, the realistic mechanical contribution is reducing wood-to-soil contact, fixing moisture and drainage, and moving firewood away from the house, not physically excluding an active colony.

What should I do if I find signs of termites in my home?

Treat it as a call-a-pro situation rather than a DIY project. Active subterranean termite colonies require inspection and typically a licensed pesticide application to actually eliminate, since mechanical steps alone won't reach a colony living in the soil and structural wood. In New Hampshire, that treatment requires a licensed applicator under RSA 430 via NHDAMF — this is one of the clearer pro-only calls on this hub.

Do thrips get into homes, and can I trap them mechanically?

Thrips occasionally move indoors from nearby vegetation, especially near windows with houseplants. Fine mesh window screens act as a physical barrier, and blue sticky traps placed near windows or affected plants help monitor and catch adults, since thrips are strongly attracted to that color. A portable vacuum can also physically remove them from plants and sills, though this is a minor nuisance compared to the other pests on this page.

Mechanical & PhysicalCommon Household Pests

Mechanical Control for Roaches, Crickets & Everyday Pests

TL;DR

This page covers the everyday roach/cricket/earwig mix homeowners actually deal with indoors. For cockroaches and crickets, glue monitors and a HEPA vacuum are rated HIGH for detection and knockdown but MODERATE for control on their own — sanitation, moisture fixes, and sealing do the real work, paired with bait off-page. For eastern subterranean termites, mechanical alone is rated LOW: physical barriers only work when installed during construction, and an active colony is honestly a pro-only, licensed job.

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NH License #782664Family-owned since 2017Updated Jul 2026

What glue monitors are actually good for
Mapping roach harborage and severity, and modestly reducing numbers — not eliminating an infestation
Cornell IPM
Vacuuming's real power
A HEPA vacuum can dramatically reduce roach numbers when the harborage location is known
Cornell IPM
Cricket trap placement
Sticky boards work best laid flat against the baseboard, tucked into corners where crickets hug the wall line
University of Maryland Extension
Camel cricket's real driver
High basement humidity — solving the moisture problem does more than trapping
Clemson HGIC

The honest verdict

Does this actually work?

HIGH for monitoring/detection and MODERATE for control via vacuuming, sealing, and moisture fixes on roaches/crickets/earwigs; LOW for termites, where mechanical alone rarely reaches an active colony in an existing structure.

Works — Moderate

Evidence: Cornell IPM calls glue boards effective for monitoring and modestly reducing pest numbers while explicitly pairing a HEPA vacuum with a known harborage for real knockdown. The EPA frames physical termite barriers (graded sand, steel mesh) as most reliable when installed during new construction, implicitly acknowledging their limits as a retrofit against an existing colony — which is why this page routes active termite activity straight to a licensed pro.

Works when

Glue monitors are placed flush to walls/corners near suspected harborage and read weekly
A HEPA vacuum targets a known harborage directly
Cracks around sinks, cabinets, and fixtures are sealed and moisture/leaks are fixed
Basement/crawlspace humidity is reduced for crickets, earwigs, and silverfish

Fails when

Glue traps are treated as the cure instead of a monitoring/mapping tool
Harborage and moisture sources are left untouched behind the sealing
Physical termite barriers are expected to stop an active colony in an existing structure
Sticky traps for crickets/thrips are relied on alone without addressing entry points

At a glance

Glue traps find the roaches — they don't get rid of them

How it works

Moderate DIY

Mechanical control here uses glue monitors and sticky traps to locate harborage, a HEPA vacuum to physically knock down populations at that harborage, and sealing plus dehumidifying to remove the cracks and moisture that draw roaches, crickets, silverfish, and earwigs indoors. Termites are the deliberate exception — mechanical/physical barriers mainly apply at construction time, not as a retrofit fix for an active colony.

Vital stats

Time: Ongoing monitoring and sealing over several weeks; termite issues require a professional inspection timeline
Best for: German cockroaches and general kitchen/bath crawling pests, house and camel crickets, earwigs, silverfish, and occasional indoor thrips — everyday nuisance pests rather than structural threats (except termites, addressed separately below).
Cost: Low for monitors, caulk, and a vacuum; termite treatment cost depends on a licensed inspection

A sticky monitor covered in roach nymphs looks like progress, and in one real sense it is: it tells you exactly where the harborage is and how bad it's gotten. But Cornell's IPM program is clear that glue boards are a monitoring and modest-reduction tool, not a cure — the roaches you're not catching are still breeding behind the stove. The genuine mechanical wins here are a HEPA vacuum run at a known harborage, sealing cracks and gaps around sinks and cabinets, and fixing the moisture that draws roaches, crickets, and earwigs indoors in the first place.

Termites get an honest exception on this page. Physical barriers like graded sand or stainless mesh do work, but the EPA's own guidance centers them on new construction, not retrofitting into a house that's already built — and an active colony chewing through structural wood is not something to manage with a vacuum. This page names that limit directly instead of pretending a DIY mechanical fix exists where it doesn't.

Step by step

How to do it

Place glue monitors near suspected harborage
Set sticky monitors flush against walls and in corners near sinks, appliances, and baseboards where you've seen activity, and check them weekly.
Tip: Nymphs alongside adults on a monitor signal an established population, not just a stray wanderer.
Vacuum the known harborage
Use a HEPA vacuum with a crevice tool to physically remove roaches, crickets, and earwigs from the harborage the monitors pointed you to.
Caution: Dispose of the bag or canister contents outdoors immediately — some may still be alive.
Seal cracks and gaps
Caulk cracks around sinks, cabinets, wall-mounted fixtures, and the foundation, and repair door sweeps and window screens.
Tip: In multi-family NH housing, ask about sealing shared plumbing chases between units, since roach activity often spreads that way.
Fix moisture and reduce humidity
Repair leaks, run a dehumidifier in basements and crawlspaces, and clean up spills and grease promptly — the shared driver behind roaches, crickets, earwigs, and silverfish.
Tip: Camel crickets and earwigs respond to moisture control faster than to any amount of trapping.
Inspect for termite activity and call a pro if found
Check exposed wood for hollow spots, mud tubes along the foundation, and discarded wings near windows or doors as signs of termite activity.
Caution: Don't attempt to mechanically treat an active termite colony yourself — reducing wood-to-soil contact and moisture helps, but eliminating a colony needs a licensed inspection and treatment.

What you need

Tools & materials

Cockroach/cricket glue monitors
Maps harborage location and infestation severity
Monitoring tool, not a cure
HEPA vacuum with crevice tool
Physically knocks down populations at a known harborage
Dispose of contents outdoors immediately
Caulk/sealant
Seals cracks around sinks, cabinets, and fixtures
Dehumidifier
Reduces basement/crawlspace humidity for crickets, earwigs, silverfish
Blue sticky traps
Monitors and catches indoor thrips near windows/plants
Blue is more attractive to thrips than yellow
Flashlight and screwdriver
Inspects exposed wood and foundation for termite activity
Probe for hollow-sounding wood; don't treat, just inspect

Stay safe

Safety first

General
Caution
German cockroach allergens can trigger asthma and allergy symptoms — clean droppings and shed skins with gloves and ventilate the area during a heavy cleanup.
General
High risk
Do not attempt DIY pesticide treatment for an active termite colony — this requires a licensed applicator under NH RSA 430 via NHDAMF, and misapplied treatments can fail to reach the colony while creating unnecessary chemical exposure.
General
Low risk
Dispose of glue monitors and vacuum bag contents promptly rather than leaving trapped insects to die slowly.

Avoid these

Common mistakes

Why this method fails in practice.

Treating glue monitors as a cure instead of a mapping/reduction tool
Sealing cracks without addressing the moisture or food source drawing pests in
Vacuuming without knowing the actual harborage location, missing the real population
Assuming a physical barrier can stop an active termite colony in an existing home
Ignoring camel cricket or earwig activity as "just bugs" instead of a moisture signal

New Hampshire context

Mechanical control for common household pests in New Hampshire

German cockroaches are the dominant indoor roach in New Hampshire kitchens, bathrooms, and multi-family housing in cities like Manchester and Nashua, where shared plumbing chases and wall voids let activity spread between units. Camel crickets and earwigs both track damp basements and crawlspaces, common in the state's older housing stock, making a dehumidifier one of the more effective tools on this page for either pest.

Peak season

Year-round indoors, with basement/crawlspace pest pressure highest in humid summer months

Glue monitoring, vacuuming, sealing, and dehumidifying are unregulated DIY steps; termite treatment involving pesticides requires a licensed applicator under RSA 430 via NHDAMF.

Extension IPM guidance for German cockroaches puts sanitation, exclusion, and monitoring ahead of any spray, treating mechanical steps as the foundation a bait or licensed treatment builds on.

This method targets

Pests this applies to

Eastern Subterranean Termite

Thrips

When to call a pro

General Pest Control with Anchor

Monitoring, vacuuming, sealing, and moisture control clear up most everyday roach, cricket, and earwig activity, but daytime roach sightings, a musty multi-unit spread, or any termite sign are past what mechanical tools alone can fix. Anchor's licensed technicians pair the mechanical foundation with the bait or treatment needed to actually close out an infestation.

Call us when…

Roaches are seen in daylight or droppings/odor point to an established infestation
Activity is spreading between units in multi-family housing
You find mud tubes, hollow wood, or discarded wings suggesting termites
Moisture control and sealing haven't reduced recurring cricket or earwig activity

General Pest Control

free inspection; same-day service across southern and central New Hampshire.

Get a free inspection Learn about the service

Keep them out

Keep glue monitors in place year-round near sinks and appliances to catch activity early
Fix leaks and run a dehumidifier in basements and crawlspaces
Schedule a termite inspection periodically rather than waiting for visible damage

Common questions

Frequently asked

Sources & further reading(6)

[1]
Cornell University IPM — What's Bugging You: Cockroaches
Glue board monitoring/reduction limits, HEPA vacuum harborage knockdown
extensionverified 2026-07-13
[2]
UC IPM — Cockroaches (Home and Landscape)
Sanitation, exclusion, and bait ahead of sprays
extensionverified 2026-07-13
[3]
University of Maryland Extension — Crickets
Sticky trap placement along baseboards and exclusion
extensionverified 2026-07-13
[4]
Clemson HGIC — Camel Crickets
Basement humidity as the primary camel cricket driver
extensionverified 2026-07-13
[5]
US EPA — Termites: How to Identify and Control Them
Physical barrier (mesh/sand) limits, non-chemical exclusion and moisture guidance
govverified 2026-07-13
[6]
UC IPM — Thrips Pest Note
Screening and sticky-trap monitoring for indoor thrips
extensionverified 2026-07-13

Written & reviewed by

Verified

Daniel Brady

NH-Licensed Pesticide Applicator · License #782664 (NHDAMF, RSA 430)

Daniel Brady is the New Hampshire–licensed applicator behind Anchor Pest Services, a family-owned pest control company serving the Manchester area since 2017.

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Anchor Pest Services

When common household pests won't quit, we will.

Same-day service across Southern New Hampshire. NH-licensed #782664. Family-owned since 2017. We diagnose the pest, then treat it the right way — with a satisfaction guarantee.

Get a free inspection Call (603) 785-0118

Keep Exploring

Mechanical Control for Roaches, Crickets & Everyday Pests

Works when

Fails when

Glue traps find the roaches — they don't get rid of them

How it works

How to do it

Place glue monitors near suspected harborage

Vacuum the known harborage

Seal cracks and gaps

Fix moisture and reduce humidity

Inspect for termite activity and call a pro if found

Tools & materials

Cockroach/cricket glue monitors

HEPA vacuum with crevice tool

Caulk/sealant

Dehumidifier

Blue sticky traps

Flashlight and screwdriver