Re: What scents are cockroaches attracted to and repelled by?

There is substantial anecdotal evidence for cockroach attractants and repellents. This is not the same as scientific evidence. Aside from obvious Google searches, you should also search the US patent database:

http://www.uspto.gov/

for all patents mentioning (cock)roaches. "Roach motels" use a malt or carmelized sugar scent and a sticky trap.

"Natural" repellents like basil, catnip, bay leaves... and other aromatic herbs are more poorly documented. The absolute winner is the natural "necromone" released from crushed roaches,

Naturwissenschaften 81(9) 409 (1994)
US Patent No. 5,859,057

The linoleic acid must be uncontaminated by similar fatty acids to exert full potency. The repellent effect is astoundly powerful for juveniles and adults of all cockroach species. However, roaches hatched from remaining egg sacks in the presence of linoleic acid scent are immune to its effects.

There are literature citations and patents about neoalkylcarboxylic acid esters being roach repellents. The measured effects are modest and fade over time.

The only way to know is to do the experiment yourself. Remember that there are two problems to be investigated!

1. You must observe the effect upon naive roaches that have not seen the compound.
2. You must observe the effect upon roaches from eggs that hatched in the presence of the active agent.