How Long Do Cockroaches Take to Reproduce?

Cockroaches reproduce by laying eggs in a protective shell called an ootheca. The egg case is carried by the female cockroach and deposited in a safe place. The eggs hatch within one to two months. The gestation period varies between species. The German roach is known to have a gestation period of 44 days and the American cockroach lays up to sixteen eggs in one ootheca.

The American cockroach’s reproductive period lasts from fifteen weeks to six months. Females produce one or two oothecas per week during their reproductive cycle. Females can lay up to sixteen eggs in each capsule. After the eggs are laid, females carry them until they find a warm moist spot.

The egg development and production processes are temperature-sensitive. At a temperature of 25oC, the development of eggs doubles. At a temperature of 5oC lower than this, the egg development time decreases. Consequently, the egg laying cycle would be quadrupled – from 24 days to 96 days!

German cockroaches can produce over 300,000 offspring during their lifetime. However, most roach species will produce between 200 and 300 offspring each year.