I think that most homeowners who have dealt with cockroaches in the past realize that it’s not something they want to do at any time in the future. In fact, most people would have an exterminator come in regularly just to ensure that no cockroaches are able to survive.

Then again, would you be willing to have cockroaches invade your house in the name of science? What if somebody were willing to pay you $2000 to do so?

Photo: Pixabay/Erik Karits

It seems as if these are not just random questions, it is actually a reality for some people who are willing to volunteer for a special study. It comes from The Pest Informer, a pest control company that would like to test some anti-cockroach treatments and they want to use your house to do it.

When you sign up to be part of the program, some 100 American cockroaches will be released on your property. The team will be there off and on throughout the month to test extermination techniques and determine whether they are effective.

After the month is over, they will exterminate any leftover cockroaches with the normal treatment options. The good news is that they won’t charge you extra for doing so.

Photo: flickr/insight pest

According to the company website: “We have over 20 years in the industry working as pest control technicians and owning our own pest control companies, so we know a thing or two about getting rid of pests.”

They went on to say that they are looking at new technology and they would like to learn the best way to get rid of any pest, but particularly they are looking at cockroaches.

When speaking with NPR, David Floyd, the owner said they are looking for anywhere between five and seven households for the trial. In a week, they received more than 2500 applications.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

They will likely be testing some commercial techniques but they will also be trying some DIY techniques to see how they work. They don’t plan on revealing any of the information until the tests are over.

Cockroaches are a big problem in many homes. That is especially true in certain areas of the world where they can easily get a foothold. They might also travel from one apartment to another in a larger community.

Like many of the bugs we are dealing with these days, it has become more and more difficult to kill cockroaches in recent years. Thanks to the use or overuse of insecticides, they have evolved to the point where they are able to withstand many modern treatments.