Killing cockroach eggs is a three-step process. However, if you have boxes of old clothes, you are likely to find their eggs in there. You won’t get roach eggs if you don’t have adult roaches, so you need to take steps to keep roaches out of your home in the first place [8]. They usually parasitize the American cockroach, Oriental cockroach, and the brown banded roaches. Without adult roaches, there won’t be roach eggs, so the first point of attack in controlling the infestation of cockroach eggs is by eliminating their laying adults. The cockroach would probably die and so will the eggs. The female hides the egg casings in tight crevices and underneath refuse or pliable material (e.g. So how do you kill cockroach eggs? This case serves as a protective shield against adverse conditions. Essentially, roach eggs can be attached anywhere the female roach feels is a favorable environment – out of the way, warm temperatures, ample food nearby and either very dry or very damp, depending on the species. A female Brown-banded cockroach will carry her egg sac for several days then find a safe area to deposit it and hide it. As discussed earlier, female cockroaches lay their eggs in an ootheca. The cockroach would initially make an ootheca and then keep it inside her body. The Oriental cockroaches can produce the eggs one day after mating. The “safe areas” that roaches choose to deposit their eggs are fairly similar across all roach species. Others have their eggs develop to maturity in the fluids inside the uterus. A female Oriental cockroach can lay as many as 1,400 eggs or more in her life. An adult female is able to produce up to 150 offspring in its lifetime, a really impressive haul. German cockroach – Approximately 6 to 9 mm. Many species of cockroaches produce dark brown to reddish-brown oothecae. Other oothecae are bloated and have no ridges, such as the ones made by American and Oriental cockroaches. This means they can cover a lot of ground in your home, spreading disease and evading your efforts to kill them. However, because cockroaches move faster than the ants, they are able to escape but not all the time. The average female produces 8 egg capsules during her lifetime, called oothecae, that contain as many as 16 eggs each. This is because the eggs cannot develop and hatch if the ootheca is broken. If you keep killing roaches in your home and they keep coming back, this could be the problem. Once this is done, you can then turn your attention over to the eggs themselves. American cockroach – Approximately 8 mm long. The Australian cockroach drops oothecae in sheltered areas of your home, close to food sources. Some roaches have higher reproductive rates, while some multiply slower. The number of eggs within the sac depends on the species of cockroach [3]. Click here to learn more about the battle plan against roaches from our main guide. This is usually done in several steps. That way you can get rid of adult roaches and keep the young roaches from invading your home. Inspect pantries, closets, cabinets, drawers, crawl spaces and basements. Need help? This means some oothecae you find will have a higher number of eggs inside. Seal all cracks and crevices, especially around doors, windows, and around baseboards. The sack which is one of the thinnest looking among all the other roach species gets produced by a female adult after every three to four weeks. The presence of cockroach eggs is usually the sign of a bigger problem. The best way to manage an infestation is to treat both adults and eggs. The question of whether cockroaches lay their eggs in clothes is a very imperative question at this time. You can hang them in the closet. What is the best way to make sure they don’t get into electronics for instance needed medical equipment. The egg sack of the oriental cockroach has a distinctive dark black-brown color and is a bit longer than the egg sack of most other species. When you find egg sacs, vacuum them or collect them. This can be done at the same time you do step 3, but you may want to do them separately. Make sure that the areas around pipes are sealed. Get your free pest estimate today, because the only eggs you want in your home, are the ones in your refrigerator. So, how do you identify cockroach eggs and how do you find them? Some types of roaches carry their ootheca around with them until the eggs inside are ready to hatch, while others attach the ootheca to sheltered hiding places. There are four main species that are often found in many households, which are the Oriental, German, American and the Brown-banded species. You usually have to wait until they hatch then kill the baby roaches [7]. Females produce an average of 8 egg Capsules, containing 16 eggs in each, from spring to mid-summer. This can happen in three ways. Even after an entire adult cockroach population has been killed, the cockroach eggs can still hatch as little as 36 days later and the homeowner’s nightmare is far from over [1]. Retrieved on December 10, 2016 from http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/german-cockroaches, 4. They need about half a year alone to mature. And even if you squash a female cockroach that has not dropped the ootheca yet, it cannot release the eggs. There are some standard locations where you can find roach eggs in your home. Do Female Cockroaches Release Their Eggs When Squashed? “10 Fascinating Cockroach Facts,: Pest World (2016), Retrieved on December 10, 2016 from http://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/pest-articles/fascinating-cockroach-facts/, 2. Finding a cockroach in your home is a clear sign that you might have a few roaches. This is one of the questions that I hear people ask now and then. Oriental Cockroach Eggs. Another native of the UK, this special cockroach species has been a subject of interest from scientists due to its unique sex pheromones. On the other hand, finding cockroach eggs in your home is a telltale sign that you have a cockroach infestation. It is not easy to find cockroaches depositing their eggs in clothes that are in open areas. The egg casing can be seen protruding one-quarter of an inch out of her abdomen. Oviparity is when the female cockroach drops the egg case she is carrying when she feels threatened or about to die. (Pictures of Flea Bites on Human and Pets). The egg can contain up to 60 nymphs, who never venture out of their mother’s body until they are strong enough to strike out on their own. We're available 24/7. Each ootheca contains approximately 16 Oriental cockroach eggs. “BI Answers: What’s the worst way to kill a cockroach?” Business Insider, (March 28, 2014), Retrieved on December 10, 2016 from http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-rid-of-cockroachs-2014-3, 6. Check around baseboards, pipes, stairs, furniture legs, picture frames, clocks and bedding. They aren’t mobile like adult roaches (except when the female is carrying them) so you can’t anticipate their behavior and activity such as waiting until night when they come out to feed. The difference can be downright frightening, so the sooner you look for and address roach eggs in your home, the safer your family will be from the disease and filth roaches carry with them. I have already mentioned that cockroaches like dropping their eggs in protected areas where there’s pretty of oxygen. It means that your roach troubles are not over. As the product takes hold and they die, the eggs will hatch and the young will eat the deceased adults. Roach eggs don’t need the adults in order to hatch, they just need a warm, dark place where they won’t be bothered.