Unless you are one of the few who keep cockroaches as pets, your interest in cockroaches is identifying them as quickly as possible to get them out. It is relatively easy to recognize an adult cockroaches but what do baby roaches look like?
The Ootheca
Most cockroaches are oviparous which means the first stage of life for a cockroach is outside of the mom in an egg. They are not individual eggs like a chicken lays, but they are clumped together in a case called an ootheca.
What the roaches do with the ootheca varies from species to species. For example:
- German cockroaches carry the ootheca around as an attachment to the abdomen until they are ready to hatch.
- Oriental cockroaches carry the ootheca around for half a day to 5 days and then deposit it in a warm, sheltered area in close proximity to a food source.
- Brown banded cockroaches attach the ootheca to walls, furniture, ceilings, beds, etc.
- Australian cockroaches drop their ootheca in sheltered areas near food sources.
The Live Birthers
As surprising as that may be, roaches such as the Madagascar hissing cockroach and the beetle mimic cockroach give live birth.
Nymph Stage
Cockroaches develop through gradual metamorphosis. There aren’t huge changes from stage to stage, but each molt takes the roach closer in shape and color to the adult. Molting is the processionals of shedding their skin. The portion of the body that emerges is soft and whitish in color.
Some roaches resemble their adult stage more than others such as the American Cockroach. The German roach has some similarities, but looks distinct. The brown banded roach has much more variety like a multi-flavored popsicle than the adult form.
Warning Signs
Whatever kind of roach you are dealing with, adolescent roaches should look like warning signs. It is one thing to see an Australian cockroach that road into the house on a plant. It is entirely different knowing they are reproducing and developing within the structure. Identify the type of roach which will indicate the direction needed for pursuit of a solution.
Help is Nearby
If you have seen baby roaches scurrying around or just want to make sure they aren’t there, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. The cockroach experts at Rove Pest Control are ready and willing to take this worry off of your plate.