As with many other types of animals, cockroach relies on their eggs to reproduce. The female discharges pheromones to attract a male. Once the mating is done, the female will grow an egg outside her body, which is called an ootheca. They grow their eggs outside their body because most roaches are oviparous. An ootheca can contain many eggs and are wrapped by a protein substance that progressively hardens in becoming a strong protective casing.

The ootheca or their egg casing is similar to a bean or a pill capsule with the female cockroach carrying the eggs just before they hatch. These egg cases are about two millimeters in length and one millimeter in width and have brownish-red and shiny appearance.

Different Types of Ootheca for Different Species of Cockroach:

German Cockroach. The ootheca of the German cockroach is brown and measures less than six to nine millimeters in length. The female cockroach will carry the egg casing until the eggs inside are ready to hatch. A single ootheca can contain up to fifty eggs. The transformation of an egg to an adult cockroach will take one hundred  and three days depending on their environmental conditions. This type of cockroach has the ability to create big infestations because they have the ability to produce so many eggs. Once these cockroaches become adults they will have a length of twelve to seventeen millimeters and a long, tan to light brown stripes on the body region that is just behind the head.

American Cockroach. The color of their ootheca is dark brown and averages eight millimeter in length. A single female can produce six to ninety ootheca in her lifetime with the female carrying the ootheca for a few hours to a few days. After which, she will deposit the egg case in a safe and hidden place. The American cockroach ootheca has almost fifteen embryos and stays in place with the use of the female carrier’s saliva. After twenty-four to thirty-eight days, immature cockroaches will emerge from the ootheca. The American cockroach is one of the largest cockroaches in the Northeast with about forty millimeter long and has a reddish-brown color.

Brown Banded Cockroach. The ootheca for this type of cockroach is light reddish-brown and has a length of five milliliter. The brown-banded female cockroach can produce up to 20 egg cases in her lifetime with ten to eighteen embryos each. Their nymphs can easily be distinguished by their two yellow bands that cross the upper abdomens. These nymphs will also become full adults within three to six months. Their length is twelve millimeter long once they become adults with long, light brown, and has two lighter colored bands running across the body.

Oriental Cockroach. They have a dark reddish-brown ootheca and has a length of eight to ten millimetre. The appearance of their egg cases are inflated and contain sixteen eggs. The female cockroach can produce one to eighteen egg cases during her lifetime. When the oriental cockroach drops her ootheca, she places it in a safe place. Once the eggs hatch, their nymphs will have to wait to up to six hundred days to become adults. However, their development still depends on their environment.

Cockroach Control: Identification

Properly identifying the type of cockroach you have in your home can lead to an easy control. By knowing the type of species you have, you can easily identify their preferences and their habitat.

Proper Cleaning

• Get rid of their food, water and shelter by
• Sink should be free from dirty dishes
• Get rid of food scraps
• Throw garbage regularly and keep them covered especially at night.
• If you have pets, keep their pet food in tightly sealed containers. Do not allow food to remain in bowls overnight.
• Clean the areas between the stove and cabinet regularly where grease and food scraps often accumulate.

Traps, Baits and Insecticides, Dusts

Traps – cockroach traps are available in different shapes of containers that are open on both ends and with adhesive surfaces on the side. As these pests enter the trap, they will stick in the adhesive.

Baits – contain an insecticide or pathogen together with an ingredient that can attract cockroaches. They can easily be placed in areas where cockroach are common.

Insecticides – this can be the best control for cockroaches especially if they are applied in areas where cockroaches live. But before applying insecticides in areas where food and utensils are near make sure to remove them, and return them in their place after the spray.

Dusts – boric acid is the only available material for dusts and may be difficult to use. However, the use of boric acid provides a long lasting control than any type of treatment. Apply them on crack, crevices and wall voids, under stoves and refrigerators to make certain that even their egg cases are affected.

Are you having problems with cockroach infestation? We will help you protect your home and business from these nasty pests. To schedule a free consultation, click Cockroach Control.