Baby Cockroaches – All you need to know

We’ve all grown up terrified of cockroaches, but no one ever tells us about the havoc baby cockroaches can wreak in your house. Also known as nymphs, these pests are quick to multiply if left unchecked, which is why it’s all the more concerning to get rid of them.

Although small, these newborn pests can cause many health problems as they carry numerous bacteria and viruses. Moreover, these bugs can be especially troublesome to pet owners as pets often come into contact with them. 

Today, we’ll reveal everything there is to know about baby cockroaches and offer tips on how to get rid of them so that you and your pets can live in peace!

What do baby roaches look like?

Dealing with a cockroach infestation is bad enough, but it can be downright horrifying when you find out that those pests are reproducing and you have baby roaches running around your home. 

A baby roach has six legs and is white in colour right after emerging from the egg sac. After a short time, its skin turns into its iconic brown or black hue. At this stage, these baby roaches look much like their adult counterparts but are significantly smaller. Some cockroaches also have wings, but baby cockroaches are born without wings and grow as they mature.

Baby roach size

Baby roaches are fairly small and normally have a length of about 4-6 millimetres. However, some nymphs can also reach lengths up to 9 millimetres or 3/8ths of an inch.

Bugs that look like baby roaches

It can be very easy to mistake small insects for a baby roach, as almost all small bugs look like each other. Some of the bugs that look like baby roaches are as follows:

How many babies do roaches have?

An average female American roach lays about 15-16 eggs at a time in a sack called ootheca, and during its lifespan, it can produce anywhere from 6-14 ootheca. This means that a single roach can produce as many as 224 offspring!

What does baby roaches look like

Baby roach vs bed bug

Bed bugs are most commonly confused with baby roaches because of their similar size and colour. However, many key differences make spotting a bed bug from a baby roach easier.

The most notable difference between a baby cockroach and a bed bug is that baby roaches have antennas on their heads, sometimes even as long as their bodies, whereas they are not present on bed bugs.

Bed bugs are Oval-shaped and have eyes sticking out from the head’s sides. On the other hand, baby cockroaches are cylindrical and have eyes that appear to cover the whole length of the head.

There are also a few behavioural differences between bed bugs and baby roaches. Baby roaches rarely bite humans and like to live in warm and moist environments such as bathrooms and kitchens. On the contrary, bed bugs bite humans, and they mostly thrive in mattresses, couches, clothing, and sometimes even electrical sockets.

How small are baby roaches?

Baby roaches are usually 4-6 millimetres or 1/4th of an inch long. This means they are just big enough to be noticed roaming around but small enough to hide in any nook and cranny available. 

Why am I seeing baby roaches after extermination?

Seeing baby roaches roaming around after extermination is quite normal, and there are a few reasons why you may be seeing baby roaches. 

It’s possible that the baby roaches you are seeing were still inside their eggs when the extermination was ongoing. Some of these eggs may have survived, considering an ootheca contains 16 eggs.

You might also see baby roaches that survived in small cracks and crevices that were not treated during the extermination. 

It’s also possible that the adult roaches moved elsewhere in your home after the treatment and are now breeding. And finally, your exterminator could have just missed some eggs when they were treating your home. 

These newborn pests will not be able to survive for long because of all the poisoned baits left behind by your exterminator. However, if the number of baby roaches does not decline in a few days, contact your exterminator for further information and treatment.

Baby roach or beetle?

Beetles and baby cockroaches may look similar, but some key differences, like bed bugs, can make it easier to tell them apart. 

First, beetles have small wings with hard wing covers, while baby cockroaches do not develop wings until they mature. 

Beetles also have long vertical lines all across their bodies, whereas the body of a baby cockroach is smooth, with no noticeable lines going across it. Additionally, beetles typically have smaller heads with a gap between the abdomen and the head. This segmented appearance is absent in baby roaches as their head, abdomen, and thorax form one smooth cylindrical shape with no gaps.

Finally, if you look at their antenna, you’ll notice that beetles have a short segregated antenna, while baby cockroaches’ have an antenna as long as their bodies. 

Do baby roaches fly?

No. Luckily, baby roaches cannot fly as they don’t have wings. They develop their wings as they grow into adults through a process known as moulting.

How many babies can a roach have?

Baby cockroaches are born in large numbers, which shouldn’t be surprising. A female cockroach can lay anywhere from 6 to 12 egg cases, also called an ootheca, throughout her lifetime. Each ootheca can contain up to 40 eggs, meaning a single female cockroach can potentially give birth to hundreds of offspring in her lifetime.

How do roaches have babies?

Cockroaches reproduce by laying eggs. Female cockroaches raise their wings and release a pheromone that attracts males toward them. Males approach the female cockroach and flap their wings to show interest. 

After mating, the female cockroach produces an egg case and carries it in her abdomen for a day or two. Later, they deposit it in a warm and moist location.

How many baby roaches are in one egg?

There is only one baby roach in a single egg, but many eggs are in an egg casing (called an ootheca). A female cockroach can only lay one ootheca at a given time, and each can contain anywhere from 12 to 48 eggs. 

Are baby roaches white?

Yes, baby roaches are white after emerging from their egg sacs. However, as they grow, they lose their white colour, and their skin quickly turns deep brown.

Do baby roaches look like ants?

Surprisingly, baby roaches can look very similar to ants, especially the ones that have just started to moult. Their reddish-brown skin makes it easy for people to confuse baby roaches with ants. However, you can easily distinguish between the two by closely examining their bodies. Baby roaches have smooth oval-shaped bodies, whereas ants have thin and segregated bodies.

Do baby roaches mean infestation?

If you see baby roaches in your home, you most likely have a cockroach infestation. Female cockroaches lay about 40 eggs at a time, and these eggs hatch in about two weeks. So, if you even see just one baby roach, it can mean that there are a lot more of them lurking around in your home.

Types of baby roaches

Cockroaches have been around for a long time, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of species a baby cockroach can belong to. Following are some of the most common types of baby roaches you can find.

German Baby Cockroach: The German baby cockroach is the most common type of roach found in homes and businesses. These small and brown roaches develop two dark stripes running down their backs when they grow into adults.

American Baby Cockroach: The American baby cockroach grew up to become the largest type of roach in the United States. These roaches are reddish-brown with a yellow band around their heads.

Oriental Baby Cockroach: The Oriental baby cockroach is a large, dark-coloured roach commonly found in sewers and other damp areas. Unlike other types of roaches, Oriental cockroaches cannot fly.

How to get rid of baby roaches?

If you have baby cockroaches in your home, there are a few things you can do to get rid of them. 

The first step would be to try and determine where the baby cockroaches are coming from. If you can find the source, you can easily eliminate them using anti-cockroach gels, sprays, and traps. This will also help keep new roaches from entering your home. 

Cockroaches thrive in moist and warm places, which is exactly why you’ll find many baby roaches in kitchens and washrooms. It is crucial to clean those places thoroughly. Make sure to clean up any leftover food or water that may be attracting roaches. 

Finally, if you think the infestation is more than what you can handle, you can always contact your local pest control or hire a licensed exterminator to deal with such severe infestations.

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