How Cold Kills Cockroaches

In the colder months, cockroaches migrate indoors and seek warmer places. They look for vacant wall spaces, crevices and sheltered areas. They slow down their metabolisms and life-sustaining processes to conserve energy. During these colder months, they will be less active, so they’ll be easier to find a home.

In cold temperatures, cockroaches lose their ability to reproduce. They also begin to huddle together in clusters to conserve warmth. When temperatures drop below ten degrees Fahrenheit, roaches enter a state called diapause. At this point, they’re nearly dead.

Once they reach a temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit, their exoskeleton begins to turn against them. This means that their thick keratin shell no longer insulates them, allowing the heat to penetrate their vital organs. Generally, the cockroach will die within an hour. However, the roaches that survive this process will be affected long-term. The female will not be able to transmit her fat-body intracellular symbiotes to her eggs, which is an important collection of microorganisms for the survival of cockroaches.

Although cockroaches can survive cold weather, they prefer warmer temperatures. In the late fall and winter months, they may become more active, seeking warmer areas. The cold weather is a great opportunity for them to find a home where they can survive the cold.