How Long Can A Cockroach Live?

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What Is The Lifespan of a Cockroach?

Cockroaches are one of the most common types of pests globally. You might be very familiar with different kinds of cockroaches, or maybe you’ve been lucky enough to live somewhere where spotting cockroaches is a rare occurrence. Either way, if you’ve seen one in your home you might wonder how old the cockroach is, where in its life-cycle it is, and just how long it can live. You might even wonder whether or not cockroaches can live for a long time without food or water. Read on to discover more about the lifespan of the cockroach.

How Long Does It Take For A Cockroach To Mature?

The average length of time it takes for an American cockroach to mature from egg to adult, reproduce and finally perish is around three years. Other roach species, like the German cockroach, can complete this cycle in as little as a year. If any species has access to the right amount of food and moisture and can also find proper shelter, a cockroach infestation can prevail in any structure for years. 

Cockroaches begin as eggs in an egg casing called an ootheca. The female cockroach affixes this ootheca to a hidden surface using her saliva. When the eggs in the case become too big for the ootheca, it will burst open and the cockroach nymphs will hatch, a process that can take up to a month. Each ootheca can hold between 30 to 60 different cockroach nymphs. Nymph cockroaches go through several more stages of growth with a successive molt (a shedding of the exoskeleton), before reaching full maturation. Once a cockroach reaches full adulthood, it will have wings and antennae and will also be fully sexually mature and begin looking for a mate.  Once this happens, cockroaches procreate very rapidly.

How Long Can A Roach Live Without Food? 

Most cockroach species can live up to a month without food, however, all cockroach species need water (though some need more than others) and will die without water after about a week. 

Cockroaches are able to go so long without food due to the fact that they are cold-blooded. All cold-blooded creatures, like insects and reptiles, take on the temperature of their surroundings. In warm weather, cockroaches will become the same temperature as their surroundings and will become more active. In cold weather, their temperature will drop and and, accordingly, they will become slow and lethargic, which needs less energy, hence less calorie intake. When food is scarce, roaches and other cold-blooded animals will preserve energy by keeping their body temperature as low as possible. In this way, cockroaches are able to go for extended periods of time without needing to eat. 

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