Every homeowner knows when you see a baby roach, there are ten more hiding nearby. A baby roach inside your home is never a good sign as they don’t travel too far away from their nest. Which means you probably already have a roach nest inside your home that needs to be taken care of right away. Since a cockroach population can quickly get out of hand, immediate treatment is vital to protecting the health of you and your family.
Since it is typically an adult female that finds her way into your home for food and shelter, if you spot a baby roach then it is a solid indicator of a roach nest. Depending on the species, females lay egg cases called ootheca which can have 12- 40 eggs at a time. Even worse, female cockroaches lay multiple egg oothecas during their lifespan after a single mating process. The incubation period typically lasts an average of two months, depending on the species and the conditions. Then the hatched baby roach (cockroach nymph) undergoes several molting processes before becoming adults to breed and lay their own eggs.
What do Baby Roaches Look Like?
Also depending on the species, the average size of a baby roach is about the diameter of two pennies or around 1.6 inches. They also take on the same coloration and patterns as their adult versions. During their molting process when they outgrow and shed their exoskeleton, they gradually increase in size while occasionally turning pale until their shell hardens and the color returns. The discarded exoskeletons along with roach feces can trigger allergic reactions, especially if there are several cockroaches that have completed all of their molting phases. Thankfully, the same tips to help ease allergic reactions can also help prevent roaches from establishing themselves in your home!
Do Baby Roaches Fly?
A baby roach doesn’t grow wings until its last phases of growth and won’t fly until they have developed, which is around six months to a year after hatching. Regardless, they have strong spiny legs that can help them move and climb quickly while squeezing through tight spaces. Keep in mind that some species don’t actually develop wings as adults and other species don’t usually fly even though they have wings.
What do Roaches Eat?
Roaches are scavengers that will eat whatever is available and will eat almost any type of food. From meat to processed foods and inedible items (to humans) such as cardboard boxes, book pages, and envelope glue, a roach will eat anything they can find. Even rotting vegetables, food in tin cans, and grease are all foodstuffs that roaches will indulge upon if available. Due to their small size, it is nearly impossible to starve out a baby roach. Small drops of water from condensation or a bath along with crumbs is sufficient for them to grow and thrive.
Where to Find Baby Cockroaches
While a baby roach is small, they are easy to find as they like to hide in warm, damp, darker areas that are undisturbed. Under kitchen sinks, around pipes, in the back of cabinets, behind appliances, underneath baseboards and even inside electronic devices! Actually, if you see a baby roach around sinks or in bathrooms, it is a possible indicator of a leak that needs to be fixed. Since they can be found all over the house including in your food if improperly stored, even a baby roach is dangerous as they spread bacteria and feces everywhere they go. This is why it is vital to clean up messes as they occur, dispose of food scraps and to conduct a regular cleaning schedule for areas that are used less often.
Roach Infestation Solution
Egg cases, shed skins, and feces which looks like black pepper that stains surfaces are all signs of a roach infestation besides spotting the roach and the roach nest itself. In fact, if you see a baby roach then the roach population inside your home has already increased to dangerously high levels. Since the infestation has been overlooked, it might be developed enough to be nearly impossible to eliminate without the help from professionals. So it is vital to take action when you see a cockroach or signs of cockroaches. If you suspect or see a cockroach, reach out to us at Bug-A-Way! Our professionals can help eliminate any roach nests and roaches while taking the necessary steps to make sure they don’t come back.