Cockroaches are some of the most disgusting creatures on earth. They are icky, they are dirty, and it seems like they will never die! They can be found in a variety of environments, from homes and businesses to hospitals and schools. Although they are not typically dangerous, cockroaches can carry diseases and contaminate food. In this article, we are going to look at just how long a cockroach actually lives so you can take steps to prevent them from becoming a problem.
Cockroach Life Cycle: How Long Does a Cockroach Actually Live?
Cockroaches have a life cycle that is divided into three stages: egg, nymph, and adult. They will generally survive around two or three months during the nymph stage and about eight to ten months as adults. These numbers can vary depending on the species of cockroach and environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. To make matters worse, some species have wings, while others are wingless.
So how long does a cockroach live? The life cycle of a cockroach is precisely four to six weeks, in an ideal scenario. However, in homes, this life cycle can be cut short by several weeks due to a lack of water and food.
After mating, the female cockroach will carry her eggs in a sac attached to her abdomen otherwise known as egg capsules. These egg cases contain between 30 and 48 eggs. The eggs hatch anywhere from 40 to 75 days and the time it takes for the egg capsule to hatch depends on temperature.
Depending on how much food is available, each female cockroach can produce up to 150 young in her lifetime. A cockroach’s gestation period is anywhere from 14 to 30 days and their first egg capsule is carried until the embryos fully develop. Nymphs begin roaming around at about six weeks of age. They molt up to 13 times before they reach adulthood, which takes three to five months.
At maturity, female cockroaches are capable of producing an egg case every 15 to 30 days. They produce 10 to 20 eggs per capsule that will hatch after about 40 days. Females can live for several years once they have reached adulthood. Males are not as lucky, because due to their short life span they only have time to mate with a single female.
Different Cockroach Species
Not only is it important to control cockroaches inside your home, but also outside as well. Different species of roaches like the American, German and Asian roaches live in different habitats such as sewers, drains, restaurants, and other places where food is prepared.
American Roaches: The American Cockroach gets its name from its habit of foraging in plants and crops, but can also be seen in sewers. These roaches are the largest of the common household roaches. It is reddish-brown with a yellow border behind its head and wings that cover its abdomen. They are mostly active at night but can be seen during the day as well.
German Roaches: These roaches are characterized by two dark parallel lines running from their head to their wings. They prefer starchy foods and are usually found in kitchens or bathrooms due to water pipes that run through the walls. You will often find them around sinks, drains, stoves and dishwashers.
Asian Roaches: These roaches are identified by the dark parallel lines on their thorax, but unlike most other cockroaches they do not have wings. They prefer warm places with lots of moisture like sinks, toilets, and even aquariums.
Top Cockroach Prevention Tips
Prevention is always better than having to get rid of a cockroach infestation. Here are a few tips that you can follow to avoid a cockroach problem:
Limit food sources
Clean up all spills, crumbs and scraps as soon as possible. Keep your kitchen clean at all times, especially around stoves, dish, cabinets and pantries.
Reduce moisture
Cockroaches love moist environments, so reduce this as much as possible. Keep your kitchen sink dry at all times by not leaving the faucet running while you are washing dishes or cleaning your countertops. Fix leaky pipes that are near walls to avoid water pooling. Repair any leaky plumbing in bathrooms and in damaged areas of the house.
Remove trash
Do not let your trash stay out for long periods of time. Put out garbage on collection day only, but do not leave the lid off.
Seal entry points
Make sure that windows and doors are sealed shut to prevent cockroaches from getting into your home or office. Plug any holes you see in walls or where pipes come through the floor.
Steps For Effective Cockroach Control
If you already have a cockroach infestation, make sure to call a professional. Cockroaches are very tough to get rid of and can cause damage to your property by their waste and saliva. Here are some tips you can try before calling the professionals:
Use pesticides
You can use insecticide that is labeled as being effective against roaches. Make sure it is safe for use around food preparation areas and that you follow all label directions.
Steam treatment
Steam is very effective at penetrating where other insects cannot go. It will kill the insects on contact, but make sure not to expose any food or utensils to extremely high temperatures.
Poison baits
If you have small children or pets, use poison bait to kill the insects safely. You can also try boric acid, which is an all-natural way of killing cockroaches without using any harmful chemicals.
Legends and Facts about Cockroaches
As with all living creatures, the cockroach has some interesting facts and some weird legends. It is believed that if a roach crawls across your path you will be visited by an angel very soon. There are also those who believe that seeing a cockroach in your home or business means that death or other bad events will soon follow. However, it is a good sign if a roach gets caught in a spider’s web because it means that you have been visited by an animal spirit who is trying to help you.
There is a superstition that if you keep a cockroach in a jar and it climbs to the top, your luck will never run out. One legend states that roaches were once very large and powerful and they held the world together with their strength until God came along and transformed them into small insects.
Contact Us For Effective Cockroach Control
Roaches are a part of life, and unfortunately, they will always be around. But don’t worry, our team here at Stomp Pest Control will be happy to help you get rid of any roach problem quickly and effectively. Call us today at (919) 231-3292 to book your appointment!
