The cockroaches are pesky little creatures, and nobody loves them because they are pretty irritating.
Their existence is undisputed in the entire world; there are more than 4500 different cockroach species globally.
America only has about 69 species. Cockroaches carry harmful diseases such as cholera, dysentery, leprosy, etc.
Therefore no one wants them to invade their home; usually, people physically squash them.
However, some are hesitant about squashing since they’re unsure whether cockroaches multiply in the process. Let’s find out whether killing cockroaches make the situation worse.
Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs When Killed
No, the cockroaches do not lay eggs when killed. The mother cockroach does not store the eggs or hatch them in most cases. Cockroaches keep their eggs in a hard case that’s known as ootheca.
They usually put the ootheca in various hidden locations in your home. Therefore, you’ll unlikely know the number of cockroaches living in your home.
However, note that certain species store eggs in an old-fashioned way. That’s storing and hatching them inside the mother cockroach.
In such a species, you’ll kill the mother cockroach with all her eggs when you squash it. Therefore, you’ll have no worries about spreading the eggs or simply worsening the situation.
The Myth Of Cockroaches Giving Birth While Dying
Many people wonder whether pregnant cockroaches can lay eggs when killed. It’s simply a myth that has been around for years.
People did not understand how the ootheca or cockroach egg sac operates. Usually, the ootheca has eggs and burst out at a moment’s notice.
The cockroach’s nymphs are usually cylindrical eggs inside the egg sac protective shell. Nymphs stay there until their mother attaches the ootheca to a secure place underneath the wardrobe, sofa, fridge, etc.
Here they do develop for several days and finally hatch. Therefore the cockroach can’t give birth while dying.
However, there’s a possibility that you kill mother cockroaches and eggs fall. There are reasons to explain this:
The cockroach delayed placing the ootheca
At times you might smash the cockroaches, and the babies run free. It can be because the mother delayed placing the egg sac in safe hiding.
Therefore the eggs developed and were about to hatch. If you crash the ootheca, it lets out the early bloomers.
Mostly a smattering of white paste comes from the ootheca. Those are cockroach nymphs that didn’t hatch and survive the attack.
Poison doesn’t destroy the ootheca
Poison is one of the quickest ways of killing cockroaches. However, poison can kill the pregnant mother’s cockroach while the ootheca survives.
The cockroach egg sacks are usually resilient against poison. The pest control measures usually call for a second wave to destroy the offspring.
Without the second wave, the eggs will develop and hatch in their dead mother when the time is right. Alternatively, it would be best to dispose of the killed cockroaches adequately.
Tips To Rid Cockroaches
Thorough cleaning
You need to do a thorough cleaning of your home and the kitchen. It’s the best start to get rid of cockroaches. Cockroaches hunt for food such as crumbs and scraps.
Therefore you should keep your kitchen and room clean through regular vacuuming, mopping, sweeping, and many more. You can also disinfect kitchen surfaces using various antibacterial solutions.
Seal The Entry Point
The other best way to prevent cockroach infestation is by simply sealing points they use to enter your home.
It can be small holes in windows, doors, baseboards, and near pipes. If you find the entry points, seal them effectively to stop them from entering your home.
Remove Trash
Despite being small creatures, cockroaches are great hunters, and the trash can offer them a steady food supply.
It’s because it contains leftover crumbs and scraps that cockroaches rely on. You should always ensure that the trash can lid is tightly closed and empty regularly.
Remove Water Sources
Cockroaches need water for survival and can die within a week without water. To get rid of cockroaches, eliminate any water sources.
Ensure Your Yard is Clean
If the yard or garage places are dirty, cockroaches will indeed invade your household. Cockroaches love dirt and neglected places.
If you maintain the cleanliness of your yard, they will not thrive. Ensure your yard, garage, and store clear any clutters, trashes, and debris.
Rid of Hiding Places
the Cockroaches like hiding in cardboard boxes, clutter, etc. It would help if you cleared the clutter places such as the kitchen, attic, basement, garage, and many more.
Identifying hiding places is easy; you will most likely encounter cockroach smear marks. Plus, there’s always a distinctively pungent smell in place that cockroaches, spiders, rats love to hide.
It would be best to get rid of piles of books, newspapers and card boxes that you don’t need. Remember, during the day, cockroaches hide in dark places. They are nocturnal and will always come out of the hiding place to forage.
Use Boric Acid Trap
The boric acid trap is excellent for those who don’t love cockroach baits. Boric acid naturally kills insects and even termites. It will help you get rid of cockroaches in your household.
Mix three tablespoons of boric acid with equal sugar, flour, and water to kill cockroaches.
Perfectly stir the mixture well, put it in a mason jar or bowl, then place it in places that cockroaches hide, such as under washing machines, refrigerators, etc.
Sugar attracts the cockroaches, and they consume the mixture. Once the boric acid is in their system, it disrupts digestion, killing them.
Insecticides
There are various types of insecticides from different manufacturers. They have been specifically made to kill insects and are thus so reliable.
You spray the insecticide on the cockroach or in places where they mostly hide. You can also spray them over-the-counter cockroaches.
The sprays usually have little residual toxicity. However, some can be pretty harmful to humans. Ensure you adequately cover your food before using insecticides.
Hire Pest Control Professional
Cockroaches, like other bugs, can be challenging to eliminate. If the cockroach infestation is widespread in your home, DIY control measures won’t be effective.
It’s because if the infestation is severe, the cockroaches hide in extreme places such as drains, catch basins, and behind walls.
The places are excellent and safe nesting places for cockroaches, and you’ll need a professional pest controller to eliminate them.
How To Safely Kill Pregnant Cockroaches
If you come across a pregnant cockroach, you have to get rid of it as quickly as possible. There are several methods to do this, such as:
- Poisoning
- Squishing
- Capturing
Bait is not an ideal solution here; cockroaches die after a long period. Therefore it can have time to lay eggs. After killing the cockroach, make sure you properly dispose of it.
Smashing also destroys the cockroach, but you should properly dispose of it. It saves your home from an infestation.
Why Do Dead Cockroaches Attract Other Cockroaches?
When a cockroach dies, it emits a specific smell. Entomologists refer to it as the “stench of death.” The smell is typical in most insects such as dead bugs’ etc. they emit a fatty acid called oleic.
Oleic smell signals other insects and cockroaches. Insects associate the smell with food.
The pheromones are another thing that attracts cockroaches to dead ones.
Bugs use this secretion to communicate and secrete it when they reach a food source. Therefore other bugs pick the smell from dead cockroaches and reach the food source.
Plus, during mating, male bugs usually discharge pheromones to attract females. If you kill a cockroach through crushing, the glands burst out and splatter fats, guts, etc.
Do Cockroaches Eat Their Nymph
The cockroaches are cannibals; they eat dead cockroaches, baby cockroaches, and even nymphs. However, the nymphs aren’t their first meal choice.
The insects eat almost everything from decaying flesh to organic debris, such as rotting leaves. Their eating habit is quite significant to the ecosystem.
Cockroaches feed on waste and release it to the earth, enriching the soil. They aren’t that useless after all. Cockroaches usually feed on their nymph when food and water are scarce.
That’s why you should ensure there’s no food and water supply. It’s a fantastic pest control method and is known as exclusion.
The lack of nourishment forces the cockroaches to eat their eggs and nymphs, even poop. Nymphs are usually defenseless against adult cockroaches since they aren’t fast enough to escape.
Plus, their exoskeletons are usually not well developed and thus weak and easy to break by the adults. These make the nymphs an easier target during scarcity and an easy meal.
Conclusion
All in all, cockroaches do not lay eggs when killed. It’s advisable to kill cockroaches since they can be a menace. Cockroaches can transmit diseases such as dysentery etc.
There are many effective cockroach control measures. If you properly and effectively use these methods, you won’t worry about cockroaches multiplying after killing them. They will be able to stop the eggs from hatching and growing.
