If roaches see piles of powder, they'll get suspicious and scamper off. Even more fun than squashing roaches under your shoe is spreading around some diatomaceous earth, a fine powder of fossilized plankton. For roaches, it's like crawling over razor blades. The roaches cut their outer cuticle layers, expel fluids and eventually shrivel up and die. In old times, families would move out of their homes for a few days during winter, leave their windows open, and freeze vermin to death.
Roaches swallow the poison and croak within days.
Like any unwanted guest, roaches love a prodigious supply of food and drink. Seal cracks and fix leaky pipes. Don't leave food out overnight, and dry your dishes before putting them away. Then head outside to take your yard back from beetle infestation. All letters to the editor are for publication and may be edited for length and clarity.