How Long Can One Cockroach Breed?
WouterA Japanese study found that female cockroaches can reproduce for several years without ever encountering a male cockroach. The researchers at Hokkaido University isolated 15 virgin females and observed them over a period of three years. They were able to reproduce five generations in that time, with only a small amount of slowing down. This is a very unusual finding. While many insects are able to reproduce parthenogenetically, the practice usually ends in extinction.
Cockroaches reach sexual maturity between four and six months of age. When they reach sexual maturity, female cockroaches produce a special secret that attracts males. During mating, female cockroaches wave their wings to attract males. Male cockroaches are also not capable of flying, but they do have wings. Female cockroaches tend to have smaller wings than males.
Adult roaches can produce thousands of new roaches every year. One female brown-banded cockroach can produce as many as 20 cases of nymphs in her lifetime. A clutch of 60 eggs can result in up to one thousand newborns in five months.
A study of the reproductive behavior of a colony of fifteen unmated female cockroaches found that one cockroach can reproduce for three years. Its reproductive cycle is known as parthenogenesis, and it helps cockroaches maintain a large colony and expand to new areas. This reproductive process is the result of millions of years of evolution. In the past, scientists thought that lack of genetic diversity was a major limiting factor.
