When you’re in the throes of a full-blown cockroach invasion, the last thing you’re thinking about is each stage of their life cycle. However, this information, even in its most basic form, is important in understanding why their population can grow so fast in a short amount of time. As expert hiders, it’s almost impossible to determine how many cockroaches are living behind your walls, appliances, and other areas out of plain sight.
Fortunately, our experienced team at Gecko Pest Control provides advanced cockroach control in Longview to wipe these creatures out at every phase of their life cycle to ensure no survivors are left behind to start a new colony.
Read on to learn how much this information can provide valuable insights to help get rid of cockroaches and keep them away more effectively.
Egg Stage: Where Cockroach Life Begins
The life of a cockroach begins when a female produces a number of eggs in a protective casing called ootheca, which she deposits in a safe, well-hidden location where it will remain undisturbed. These oval-shaped eggs have a tough outer shell to shield them against predators or harsh elements.
The embryos develop during an incubation period that varies in length of time depending on the cockroach species and other factors, like temperature, humidity, etc. However, warmer and more humid conditions can help accelerate egg development.
Once the incubation period ends and the eggs hatch, the nymphs emerge, which look like miniature versions of fully grown adult cockroaches. However, they don’t possess wings or reproductive organs at this stage.
For more information regarding different types of cockroaches and the best way to eradicate them at this phase, get in touch with Gecko Pest Control.
Nymph Stage: The Growing Pains Of Young Cockroaches
During the second stage of the cockroach life cycle, newly hatched nymphs will undergo several molts, where they’ll shed their exoskeletons, allowing them to grow bigger. The nymph phase typically lasts between one and three months, with five to 13 molts occurring during this time. The nymph acquires new features with every molt until they start to resemble adults.
One of the telltale signs of a cockroach infestation is seeing the discarded exoskeletons that nymphs leave behind, which should prompt you to reach out to a qualified pest service to schedule a thorough property inspection. Professionals are skilled at locating clues of an invasion, even without seeing any live insects.
Adult Cockroaches: Reproduction And Survival
The last molt for the nymphs is the grand finale before becoming a fully functional adult cockroach, complete with sexual organs for reproduction. Although they now have wings, some roaches will become strong fliers while many species will not and, thus, won’t fly at all. Depending on the species, adult roaches will have a darker coloration and can live up to a year.
In this final phase, adults possess these features:
- A well-defined body structure
- Long, filamentous antennae
- A hardened exoskeleton for protection
As adults, they're a major contributing factor to the reproductive process and the continuation of the next generation. Due to their fast reproduction rate, it's critical to get a hold of reputable pest experts to eliminate a brewing cockroach infestation before it explodes in size.
Leveraging Life Cycle Knowledge For Effective Longview Control
Now that you’ve gained a better understanding of the cockroach life cycle, you can see why swift intervention is imperative to eradicate it in the early stages. At Gecko Pest Control, our knowledgeable and highly skilled technicians leverage this information regarding the life cycle to develop targeted treatments for complete cockroach removal in Marshall and surrounding areas. We conduct thorough courtesy inspections to uncover hidden nesting sites and other clues of an infestation.
Contact us to get started today.