Sometimes the only reason for a failed extermination is failing to get rid of roach eggs. Cockroaches, including small roaches and palmetto bugs, usually lay a large number of eggs sacked in a capsule called ootheca. Each ootheca contains between 15 to 38 individual eggs. After mating, each adult female roach lays eggs after 18 to 30 days for the rest of her life.
To get rid of roach eggs,
- Search and locate the cockroach nest.
- Use Boric acid, Steam or Diatomecous earth to destroy the nest including the eggs.
- Disinfect the area with a recommended disinfectant.
- Vaccum clean the area.
- Use IGR Spray (Insect Growth Regulator Spray) to prevent any missed out egg from hatching.
- Regularly clean the house and remove any factors that attract roaches at laying eggs.
One of my friends had a pretty bad experience with infestation. He tried almost every method to get rid of roaches but always failed. Finally, after multiple failures, he knew why and how exterminators get rid of roaches? Kudos! he succeeded in his first go. The only reason was keeping a blind eye on roach eggs.
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1. Advion Cockroach Gel Bait (Review)
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3. Pet Safe Killers (Uses Essential Oils)
4. Ortho Defence Outdoor Roach Killer (Prevent Roaches)
What Cockroach eggs look Like and How to Identify them?
The good thing about cockroach eggs is that they are easily visible to the naked eye. This is because the cockroach never lays eggs individually. Instead, they are sacked together in a capsule called ootheca. Physically appearance of the ootheca is as under,
Size
The ootheca measures between 5mm to 10 mm depending upon the cockroach species.
Colour
The color of the ootheca varies from tan to dark brown.
Shape
The shape of the ootheca resembles a mini purse with jagged edges or a micro kidney bean.
Number of eggs
The ootheca contains between 15 to 38 individual white-colored eggs.
You can quickly identify cockroach eggs if you pay close attention. All you have to do is search for an area with multiples of cockroach droppings and desquamated skin. Once you have identified the location, any structure resembling a jagged micro kidney bean is for sure an ootheca.
Should it make you worry if you saw one cockroach? Read this interesting article to learn more!
Getting Rid of Roach eggs
Getting rid of roach eggs can be easy and fun if carefully carried out. Once you have wrecked the eggs, it means you have probably taken infestation into your grasp.
To Get rid of roach eggs, all you need to do is,
Step 1: Locating the cockroach Nest
Before you embark on getting rid of roach eggs, it is essential to know where roaches lay eggs. Although not a true nest, in essence, the area with plenty of roach droppings, dead roaches, desquamated exoskeleton, and hatched eggs and un-hatched eggs is called a nest.
The cockroach eggs are usually located in and around
- Back of the fridge.
- Under the furniture.
- Under the carpets or rugs near the corner.
- Behind the curtains.
- Inside the bathroom or kitchen cabinets
- Inside shoe boxes or unused utensils.
- Around the ventilation ducts or motors
Step 2: Destroying the Nest along with the eggs
Once you have successfully located the nest, it’s time to destroy the eggs. You can use any of the following methods to destroy the eggs,
Method 1: Using Boric Acid
Boric acid has an excellent property to destroy and kill roach eggs. The boric acid works by destroying the capsules, and hence the eggs cant survive without it.
All you need to do is spread a generous amount of boric acid over the nest and wait for a few days.
Method 2: Using Diatomaceous earth powder
Diatomaceous earth powder acts like microneedles and penetrates the ootheca, destroying it. All you have to do is spread a generous amount over the area containing eggs, just like using boric acid.
Method 3: Using Steam
Steam is an effective method to destroy roach eggs because the heat instantly coagulates them. However, for this method to work, you need a steam gun and aim it right onto the eggs for 3 to 5 minutes.
Method 4: Squashing (Controversial)
Once the capsules covering the eggs breaks, it is impossible for them to survive because the eggs will soon dry out. Squashing works on this principle.
However, because there are usually many oothecae in a single place, it is often tricky to squash each capsule individually. Moreover, the ootheca is slippery enough to slip right away in front of your eyes.
Therefore, I do not recommend this method.
Step 3: Disinfecting the area
You must adequately disinfect the destroyed eggs because they often contain bacteria transferred from parent roaches. Moreover, it also provides one with peace of mind. You can use any disinfectant containing a high percentage of Alcohol.
Step 4: vacuum Cleaning
The destroyed eggs can trigger allergies and asthma episodes in some individuals. Therefore, it is important to vacuum clean the area.
Step 6: Using IGR Spray to destroy any missed out eggs
It is not humanely possible to locate each and every roach egg. So you will definitely miss some eggs. In this case, IGR (Insect Growth Regulator) Spray comes to the rescue. The IGR spray keeps eggs from hatching and nymphs from transforming into adults.
All you have to do is to spray around the area.
Step 7: General Measures
Once you have successfully killed the roach eggs, it is important to keep an eye on re-infestation. You must keep your house clean and well ventilated and prevent factors that attract roaches like uncovered garbage bins, leftover food, cracks in windows, etc.
If you are planning to move just because of an infestation, you need to read this article: How to get rid of roaches from electronics, furniture, car, & clothing before you move?
What kills roaches and their eggs instantly?
Roaches and their eggs behave very differently. There are products out there in the market that kills roach instantly. For Example, Insecticide sprays kill roaches within seconds but do not affect roach eggs. Similarly, Boric acid destroys roach eggs instantaneously but kills roaches slowly within the next few hours to days.
However, after thorough research and experimentation, I concluded that heat from a steam gun could kill roaches and their eggs instantaneously just with 2 minutes.
This is because cockroaches can’t survive a temperature above 115 degrees Fahrenheit, and similarly, the roach eggs start to coagulate within seconds of steam application.
However, if you do not have a steam gun, I recommend using Insecticide and IGR spray concurrently to kill roaches and their eggs instantaneously.
Additional Read!
