Do Cockroaches Need a Mate to Reproduce?

Female cockroaches have the ability to reproduce without a mate and may produce dozens of generations of all-female descendants. This reproductive method, known as parthenogenesis, is similar to what occurs in reptiles, fish and invertebrates. It was previously believed that the American cockroach had no reproductive options besides mating with a male.

Female roaches lay their eggs about a week after mating. The female cockroach carries the eggs in an egg sac, called an ootheca. This sac protects the eggs from harm until hatching. Females carry the eggs in their ootheca for about five days before laying them on a dark, secluded surface. The eggs then incubate for several weeks before hatching.

Cockroaches are members of the Orthopteroids, a group that includes insects, spiders, and beetles. Some species are able to fly. Adult males of the brownbanded cockroach, Periplaneta, and Arenivaga species can fly. Several hundred species of tropical cockroaches have two sexes that are capable of flight.

A female cockroach can survive for up to 18 days without a head. This enables the female to provide the moisture required to grow the embryo. Besides this, cockroaches are cold blooded and therefore do not require extreme activity or blood pressure.