Where Does a Cockroach Lay Eggs?
WouterA cockroach’s eggs are protected by a protective casing called the ootheca. It is made of a protein substance produced by the female roach. It hardens after a few hours to protect the egg from predators and elements. It can vary in size depending on the species.
Baby cockroaches typically go through six or seven instars before becoming fully developed adults. The time it takes them to become fully grown depends on the species and the temperature in their surrounding habitats. Cockroaches can reproduce up to six or seven times in a single eggcase.
Cockroaches can lay eggs in old books, cardboard boxes, and wood-covered surfaces. They usually prefer places with strong odors, such as a paper bag or a cardboard box. Old dressers made from wood are also a common location for cockroaches to lay their eggs.
Some cockroaches prefer to lay their eggs in a sheltered, dark place close to a food source. Female German cockroaches prefer moist, warm places near a source of water or food. They may also leave their eggs in different areas of a home, including in drawers and baseboards.
Different species of roaches lay different numbers of eggs in their ootheca. A German roach may have twenty to forty eggs inside its ootheca, whereas an Oriental cockroach may have only eight or fifteen eggs.
