An average German cockroach spends most of its life in a tropical environment. They prefer a warm, humid climate, so they seek out kitchens and bathrooms.
Male roaches inseminate the females. After being inseminated, the female can produce several batches of eggs without mating again. Each batch of eggs is encased in a capsule called an ootheca.
The female roach keeps the ootheca attached to her body until the eggs are ready to hatch. She drops the capsule when it is time for the eggs to hatch. Sometimes the eggs hatch while the capsule is still attached to the female roach.
When the baby German roaches hatch, they are called nymphs. They are tiny insects. They stay hidden and feed on the droppings of the adult roaches. At the same time, the adult roaches eat many of the nymphs!
German cockroaches spend most of their life in the dark. They hide in cracks and crevices during the day. They come out briefly at night. As soon as they find food, they eat it and then run back to their hiding place.
German cockroaches can survive for several weeks without eating. They can only live without water for about two weeks. If a homeowner sets of a “bug bomb”, the roaches will hide inside the walls until they need water. This may be the reason many homeowners say that the bombs only controlled the roaches for about two weeks.
Homeowners who are starting to see German cockroaches in the daytime may have a large problem. The cracks and crevices may be getting overcrowded. The food and water may be hard to find at night. There is a reason that the roaches are being forced out of their comfortable hiding places during the day.
To eliminate the roaches, homeowners can start by eliminating the food, water, and hiding places. Little things like putting away leftover food promptly and washing dishes before going to bed can make a big difference.
Pet food should not be left out overnight — the roaches will be the ones that eat it. Bottles and cans should be rinsed before they go into the recycle bin. The recycle bin should stay outside of the house.
If there are a lot of roaches, it may help to vacuum the cracks and crevices in the kitchen. Put the vacuum bag in a trash bag and dispose of it outdoors. It may help to caulk as many of the cracks and crevices as possible, especially near the stove and sink. This will keep the roaches from hiding in them.
Any roaches that are still around can be eliminated with cockroach bait. It usually takes time for this part of the program, so many homeowners call on a pest control professional for the bait applications, the monitoring, and the follow-ups.