In 2013, researchers looking into this question made a stunning discovery. These bugs reproduce parthenogenically. Females do not need males to fertilize their eggs. And, females lay up to two hundred eggs during their two-year lifespans. In the Japanese cockroach study, fifteen virgin roaches became 1,000 roaches in only three years. We don’t know how these researchers verified the roaches’ virginity, and we don’t want to know.
Parthenogenetic reproduction explains how cockroaches multiply so fast. Specific breeding habits vary according to the type of roach, as outlined below. Worldwide, there are over 4,000 cockroach species. Most of them are very rare in North America, except for these four.
American Cockroaches
These bugs live close to three years. That’s much longer than the av-er-age roach. So, the females lay more eggs, whether or not males are around. Frequently, American Cockroaches breed in sewers. They like the dark and the moisture. So, you can only imagine what these critters track into your kitchen. Females reach breeding age about halfway through their lives. At first, they are quite fertile. But that fertility quickly fades.
Oriental Cockroach
These pests are more common than American Cockroaches in some parts of Alabama. Oriental Cockroaches, which are also called water bugs and black beetles, are also common in parts of the Midwest and Pacific Northwest. These bugs live anywhere from a few weeks to about six months. Females normally carry their eggs for a few days and then deposit them in a dark place near a food source. Your kitchen pantry will do nicely.
German Cockroaches
These roaches live fast and die young. After only three weeks, females are ready to lay eggs. Unlike other kinds of roaches, German Cockroaches carry their eggs until they are ready to hatch, then they drop them. So, the next generation of roaches could begin almost anywhere. So, if one apartment in a building has a roach infestation, pretty soon, these critters will be everywhere.
Brown Banded Roaches
If you have been unlucky enough to encounter a flying cockroach, it was probably a brown banded roach. The other three species have wings, but they almost never fly. Similar to Oriental Cockroaches, Brown Banded Roaches carry their eggs until they are about ready to hatch. Unlike Oriental Cockroaches, Brown Banded Roaches always look for dark, secluded places to drop off their eggs. Under furniture is a good example. If you have roaches, you need a service that gets rid of them faster than they multiply.
