Many commercially available products work on the principle of attracting
cockroaches to a specific point and then trapping or killing them there. Some
substances used as attractants are various food items, pheromones and other
attractive chemicals. The trapping element may be a mechanical trap or a sticky
material. A simple jar trap can be constructed from an empty jar, petroleum jelly
and some food: the cockroaches are attracted to the jar by bread, raisins or other
food placed at the bottom, and a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the inside rim
prevents the insects from escaping