How Cockroaches Reproduce

Hey, neighbor! It’s Sean with LOCAL Bug Guy!

Cockroaches are gross little critters that no one likes to find in their house. What’s worse is that cockroaches can carry disease and can be really hard to kill. But you opened up this post because you want to know how cockroaches make more cockroaches, and what you can do to stop them.

I’ve got the answers. I’ll break it down for you in a way that’s easy to understand.

And if you’re fighting cockroaches at home, let LOCAL Bug Guy put up a fight for you! We’re pros at handling all sorts of common pests, including the all-too-common cockroach. Let us send your cockroaches packing so your home can feel clean and safe again. Contact us below for a free, no-hassle quote.

GET A FREE QUOTE

How cockroaches reproduce

Cockroach infestations are especially tough because cockroaches can survive on very little and reproduce fast. That means you get a lot of cockroaches in a short amount of time. And that makes for a messy, unsafe home.

Cockroaches reproduce sexually, which means they need a male and a female. Females attract males with pheromones, then the male fertilizes her eggs. These cockroach eggs are called ootheca (pronounced oh-uh-THEE-kuh), and a female usually carries around 16 of them. 

The female cockroach will carry these eggs on her abdomen for up to a week, then deposit the eggs in a safe location—usually somewhere dark, warm, and humid. This means popular spots are in dark, secluded spots of your kitchen, bathroom, attic, or basement.

When these eggs hatch, the baby cockroaches (called nymphs) will molt 10-13 times before they’re fully grown. This can take 6-12 months. Then you’ve got a fresh new batch of cockroaches making your home their home.

How to get rid of cockroaches

You might be tempted to just squish cockroaches on sight, but you’re not getting to the heart of the problem. You need to get rid of all the cockroaches so there aren’t any left to reproduce. Here are a few methods we recommend.

Cockroach traps like roach motels are inexpensive and effective. These little boxes have an attractive scent to roaches when you open them up, so the roaches look inside to investigate. Then they find themselves trapped inside with a layer of sticky glue. Once you have a full roach motel, you can just throw it away. Put it in your outside garbage bin if you can, though, in case a roach manages to escape!

An outdoor insecticide is also an important step for prevention. Once your home is clear of cockroaches using roach motels or bait, use a perimeter spray like Ortho Home Defense to create a protective barrier around your home. Spray your foundation and around the edges of doors and windows, and do this at least once per season (or as often as the product directs). This will create a repellant barrier so cockroaches aren’t tempted to sneak in your house.

There are companies who build their whole identity on taking care of roaches. Truthfully, LOCAL Bug Guy is not that company. However, our regular maintenance can help prevent a few types of roaches. If you’re curious about what we cover, please reach out! Use the button below to get in touch and receive a no-hassle quote. If we’re not the best fit for you, we’ll let you know.

GET A FREE QUOTE