Where Do Cockroaches Lay Their Eggs?

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What to Do About Cockroach Eggs in Your Home?

Cockroaches are one of the most hated animals on the planet. They’re ugly, disgusting, and they can also spread disease. To make things worse, these creatures are very difficult to get rid of.

Cockroaches reproduce like crazy. It only takes 2 cockroaches to raise 10,000 within a year. This is why it is very important to find and destroy their eggs.

Cockroaches usually lay their eggs in dark and damp areas. This is why their nests are often found in kitchens and bathrooms. But they are not limited to these. Cockroaches will lay their eggs just about anywhere.

So where should you look for cockroach eggs? Let’s take a look at some of the places where cockroaches like to lay their eggs.

Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs on Clothes?

Cockroaches laying their eggs on your clothes is a very gross thought. But do they actually do it?

Yes, they do. Clothes aren’t the preferred nesting site for cockroaches, but the darkness of a drawer is ideal for them. And they love tight spaces, like the small gap between your stacked clothes. That is why from time to time, you may find cockroach eggs on your clothes.

They don’t seek out your clothes as a nest. But since cockroaches lay their eggs anywhere, they’ll lay them on your clothes if it’s convenient. To stop them from doing this, you should keep your drawers clean. Make sure you don’t stack up unused clothes in a corner as well, this may become a cockroach breeding ground.

We have lots of articles about how to handle cockroaches in your home. I Saw One Cockroach, Should I Be Worried? is a good one to start with!

Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs on Food?

Imagine biting into a burger, only to feel a little extra crunch. To your horror, you’ve bitten into a cockroach egg! Is this a realistic scenario? Do cockroaches lay their eggs in food?

Cockroaches like having food nearby. That’s why they lay their eggs in areas that are close to a food source, such as kitchens. But to say they lay their eggs on the food itself is a bit far-fetched. They might, but it is very rare. This is because we usually keep our food inside refrigerators. And cockroaches can’t survive in the cold.

But be careful when you leave food outside the ref. Cockroaches love boxes. If you keep your food in a box, you may find eggs the next time you open it.

Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs on Carpets?

Another place you may find cockroach eggs is on your carpet. If you don’t ensure your carpets are clean, there are a lot of food crumbs that may fall here. This is a feast for cockroaches. This is why they like hanging out in your carpets when you’re not around. When you arrive, they quickly sprint to the nearest hiding place. That hiding place is usually the tiny gap between the carpet floor and the wall.

That’s also where you can find some cockroach eggs. The gap between the carpet and the wall may seem tiny, but it’s big enough for roaches. What’s more, if cockroaches can somehow get under your carpet, they’ll love it there. You may not realize it, but there might be a lot of cockroaches underneath your carpet right now.

So yes, cockroaches do lay their eggs on carpets. They won’t lay their eggs out on the open. But they’ll tuck them away in the tight corners of your carpets.

Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs on Soil?

Outside your house, your garden may also be infested with cockroaches. You won’t see them because they’re very good at hiding, but they’re there alright.

Garden cockroaches live and breed outdoors. But they find their way inside through cracks and crevices. So even if you completely kill off the cockroaches inside, there may still be some outside.

Outdoors can be a very big place though, so where exactly are the cockroaches hiding? You’ll find these cockroaches and their eggs in the soil. Flip over decaying pieces of wood, and check under mulch. It’s here that garden cockroaches lay their eggs.

Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs in Books?

Yes. This is a definite yes. One of the most common places you’ll find cockroach eggs are in old books.

One preference of cockroaches is an environment where their odor can be absorbed. This is why they love cardboard, paper, and wood. They don’t need these things to lay eggs. But if they can get it, they’d prefer it.

Another reason cockroaches love books is that books are food for them. One thing that makes cockroaches so hard to kill is the fact that they eat anything. They’re omnivorous animals. It’s this trait that has allowed them to survive since dinosaurs walked the earth. Cockroaches can survive on paper alone.

This is why old books are the perfect place for cockroaches to lay their eggs. Dark? Check. Tight? Check. Can you absorb odor? Check. Food nearby? Check.

Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs on Plants?

If you keep potted plants around your house, you don’t want cockroaches to get to them. Some species of cockroaches eat and destroy plants. But even if they don’t eat your plants, cockroaches still like staying on them.

Why? Because plants provide darkness and moisture, the two things cockroaches love. If you take good care of your plants, cockroaches should stay well away. But if you leave them and only water them once a while, you may find cockroach eggs in the shade of the leaves.

Anywhere that’s dark and moist is a cockroach breeding ground. So if you keep house plants, you may find some eggs there.

Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs on Cardboard?

A big yes. Like books, cardboard is one of the top spots for cockroach eggs. Cockroaches love cardboard.

The reasons why cardboard is such a hotspot for cockroach eggs are the same with books. They’re dark, tight, odor absorbent, and delicious for cockroaches. Who wouldn’t want to lay eggs in a place that is secure and has all the food they need?

If you have cardboard boxes lying around, expect to find cockroaches and their eggs there. Even if you have flat cardboards piled on top of one another, cockroach eggs will be all over it.

Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs in Your Ear?

You’ve probably heard the horrific story of how a cockroach laid eggs on a woman’s ear. Is it true?

Yes, this story is true. Cockroaches can lay eggs in human ears. But just because they can, doesn’t mean they will. That story of the cockroach laying her eggs in the ear is one of a kind. It isn’t a common occurrence.

What is common though, is cockroaches walking into human ears. When we’re awake, cockroaches will never dare to do this. But at night as we sleep, cockroaches can crawl into your ears.

But why ears? Think about all the things that cockroaches like, and you’ll find that ears fit this perfectly. They’re tight and humid, and cockroaches also like earwax. It makes for a tasty treat for these critters. That’s why in the dark of the night, ears make a nice hiding place for cockroaches.

It can be very itchy when a cockroach gets to your ears. But if you scratch it, what you end up doing is pushing the cockroach deeper inside. Most of the time, this will squish and kill the roach. But other times, it can trap the cockroach inside instead.

Stuck in an ear, cockroaches will eventually die. But in some instances, like the famous story, they lay their eggs before passing away.

Maybe you’re still wondering why there are even cockroaches in your house in the first place?? Check out Why Do I Have Cockroaches in My Home?

Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs on Furniture?

If you have a wooden table, there’s a big chance you’ll find cockroach eggs underneath. There’s always food on the table, making this the ideal place for cockroaches to lay their eggs.

Aside from tables, cockroaches also like laying their eggs on other pieces of furniture. Make sure you check underneath your chairs. Also, check on the dark corners of bookshelves or desks.

But most of all, make sure you check inside drawers. We’ve already seen that drawers make the ideal living and breeding place for cockroaches. It’s so dark and, a lot of times, untouched. Most of the time, the cockroaches found on clothes don’t like the clothes, instead, they are living in the drawer.

Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs in Packing Boxes?

Packing boxes are another dream home of cockroaches. Most of the time, packing boxes are stored away in a corner of our homes. They’re usually filled with items we don’t need to use at the moment. That’s why this is heaven for cockroaches.

Packing boxes are made of cardboard. And we’ve already seen how much cockroaches love this. If you clean out a packing box that’s been lying around for a while, you’ll find lots of cockroach eggs.

That’s why if you have a cockroach problem, you should avoid leaving packing boxes alone. This is one of their favorite hideaways and nesting areas.

Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs When They Die?

One theory that you may have heard is that if you squish a cockroach, this will speed up its reproduction. People say this because they believe that squishing a cockroach will release its eggs.

However, this is a myth. Cockroaches do not lay eggs when they die. If you squish them, you’ll also squish whatever eggs they’re carrying. So killing one cockroach does not help their community in any way.

Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs in Dark Places?

Yes. As we’ve already seen, one of the things cockroaches look for is dark places. Cockroaches hate the light. They are exposed and vulnerable when it is bright. That is why they lurk in the shadows of your house.

Have you ever got up in the middle of the night and turned the light on? If you have, you may have seen dozens of cockroaches all scurrying away. Wherever there is light, cockroaches stay away. Wherever there is darkness, cockroaches thrive. That’s why they choose dark places to lay their eggs.

Do Cockroaches Lay Eggs in Beds?

This depends on what type of bed you have. For wooden framed beds, there is always a possibility that cockroaches will lay their eggs on it. Remember, cockroaches like wood.

If there is a tear on your cushion, cockroaches can also get inside. It’s another tight, dark area that absorbs their odor, so they’d love to lay their eggs there. So if you have a cockroach problem, don’t forget to check your bed.

How to Get Rid of Cockroach Eggs

If you want to get rid of cockroaches, you need to get rid of their eggs. Now that you know where to find them, the next question is how can you get rid of cockroach eggs. There are several ways that you can do this. Let’s take a look.

Vacuum

One of the easiest ways to get rid of cockroach eggs is to vacuum them. This is fast and easy. The problem with this though is that it doesn’t kill the egg. Once the eggs are inside the vacuum bag, they can still hatch. You can get them out of your house, but you won’t kill the roaches.

Fire

If you want to kill the eggs, one easy way to do this is by using fire. You can either drop the egg on fire, or you can use a torch to burn them. Either way, all the eggs in the case will die. Remember, each egg casing can contain 50 baby cockroaches. So even burning 1 will go a long way in stopping cockroach infestation.

Boric Acid

If fire isn’t for you, you can use boric acid. Pour some boric acid over the eggs. Keep in mind that this will not destroy the egg. Boric acid is not strong enough to penetrate a cockroach egg. But, when it hatches, every baby cockroach that gets out will die.

Conclusion

Knowing where cockroaches lay their eggs is the first step in having a cockroach-free home. So if you’re having a problem with these nasty creatures, you now know where to find their hidden eggs. You now know where to strike!

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