Where Do Cockroaches Come From? | Causes and Prevention Tips

If you have ever dealt with a cockroach infestation, you know that sometimes it may feel like these creatures appear from nowhere. The bad news is even if your house is clean that doesn’t mean you are 100% sure that you won’t be affected by this disaster.

So, where do cockroaches come from? Cockroaches can come into your house by searching for food, water, or shelter. Cockroaches enter your home through cracks and small holes. Moreover, they can be brought inside. These creatures are great hitchhikers and sometimes use grocery bags, luggage, and boxes to travel around.

Cockroaches are ancient insects that are over 200 million years old, and it is impossible to say from which continent or country they come from. We can only say for specific cockroach species a possible continent or country of origin.

What exactly causes cockroaches to come inside? Where do they originally come from? And can these pests enter your house through your toilet? Find the answers to all these questions below and more. Let’s begin!

Where Do Cockroaches Originally Come From?

Even though our planet is full of cockroaches, we know surprisingly little about these creatures. Scientists have found out that the last common ancestor of our modern roaches began evolving more than 300 million years ago. Today, this ancient group of insects can live anywhere, starting from the Arctic cold to the tropics.

Where Do Baby Cockroaches Come From?

Little roaches come from special egg sacs/cases that are called “oothecae”. When the time comes, the female cockroach lays a capsule that contains between 14 to 48 eggs. They usually prefer to leave the sac in a safe, dark place.

Where Did the Name Cockroach Come From?

The English name “cockroach” comes from the Spanish word “Cucaracha”, which is derived from the Latin word “Blatta”. It basically means “an insect that shuns the light”.

Can Cockroaches Come Back to Life?

Thankfully, cockroaches are not able to rise from the dead but these insects are certainly challenging to get rid of. They can survive underwater for around 40 minutes and even live without a head for quite a while. By the way, cockroaches can play dead! If the creature gets extremely scared, it might go into shock and stay immobile. After some time, the cockroach will be able to move again.

Where Do Different Types of Cockroaches Come From?

There are around 4600 different cockroach species of which 30 can be found around (or inside) human habitats. Even though these insects are equally disgusting, they can come from different places.

Where Do Flying Cockroaches Come From?

Although a lot of species have wings, not all cockroaches can actually fly. The Australian, Asian, and Smokybrown cockroaches are good flyers, while the American roach, for example, can use its wings to glide. The majority of these insects are outdoor species that inhabit coastal areas.

Where Do German Cockroaches Come From?

At the moment, it is thought that the German cockroach originated from Southeast Asia. We know that the name German cockroach (Blattella germanica) implies that they have originated in Germany but that is not the case. Why they were that way is a mystery.

It is primarily an indoor species that can come from the grocery store or even your neighbor. German roaches are “travelers” that can easily catch a ride in a bag or a box. They can spread from nearby apartments or houses.

Related: How to Get Rid of German Cockroaches? | Information & Facts

Where Do Brown Banded Cockroaches Come From?

This type of cockroach might have been transported from Cuba to Florida at the beginning of the 20^th century. Brown-banded cockroaches can enter your house through cracks and crevices or get inside in bags, electronics, and furniture (that’s where they like to leave their egg cases).

Related: How to Get Rid of Baby Cockroaches | Practical Tips and Prevention Guide

Where Do American Cockroaches Come From?

American cockroaches are native to Africa and, probably, the Middle East. As the temperatures drop, these cockroaches might move to your house through various entry points. Moreover, these insects inhabit grocery stores, bakeries, and restaurants and can be transported from one place to another.

Related: How to Get Rid of American Cockroaches? | Information and Facts

Where Do Oriental Cockroaches Come From?

Some say that Oriental roaches originated from the Caspian and the Black Sea, while others believe that this type came from Africa. They prefer to live outdoors but can be found in basements, drains, and porches.

Related: How to Get Rid of Oriental Cockroaches? | Information and Facts

Where Do Hissing Cockroaches Come From?

The hissing cockroach comes from Madagascar. There, it lives in forests. This cockroach is a relatively popular pet that can even be handled.

Where Can Cockroaches Come From?

Can Cockroaches Come Up Through Toilet?

Thankfully, it is practically impossible for a cockroach to come up through your toilet. This won’t happen because of the water. Even though these insects can “hold their breath” for some time, they won’t go through this experience on purpose.

Can Cockroaches Come Through the Drain?

Yes, there are cockroaches that live in drains and, at one point, they can enter the house through the sink or shower drain. Cockroaches are able to crawl up through drains or squeeze through leaky pipes.

Can Cockroaches Come From Air Conditioners?

In a nutshell, cockroaches like to use air-conditioning systems. The water from the drain might be the thing that attracted them in the first place. Unfortunately, your air conditioner can also become an easy entry point into the house. Cockroaches can use the vents on the exterior to get to the air ducts inside your home. These creatures can also enter through the drainage pipe of the AC.

Can Cockroaches Come in on People’s Clothes?

It is highly unlikely for a cockroach to travel on a piece of clothing that you are wearing at the moment. But these insects can lay their eggs in piles that are rarely used. They can also hide in the clothes that you have left in your luggage.

Can Cockroaches Come Out of Air Vents?

Cockroaches can crawl into the air vents located on the exterior of the house. From there, they will make their way to the air ducts inside. Cockroaches can use the ducts to travel around the house unnoticed.

When Do Cockroaches Come Out?

Why Do Cockroaches Come Out at Night?

Cockroaches are nocturnal creatures that prefer to hide during the day. These insects have specific activity rhythms, so it’s normal for them to start the hunt for food at night (usually, about four hours after it gets dark).

Do Cockroaches Come Out During the Day?

Cockroaches might come out during the day if they have to. That might mean you have a severe infestation. In case cockroaches are forced to hunt for food in the middle of the day, it simply means that there are not enough resources for everyone.

When Do Cockroaches Come Out of Hibernation?

Some species might hibernate during the winter when temperatures fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10°C). Both adults and nymphs might enter this state. Of course, there are cockroaches that will not survive the cold temperatures. In most cases, these creatures will come out of hibernation as soon as it starts to become warmer.

Do Cockroaches Come Out More in the Summer?

You might have noticed that there are more cockroach infestations during the summer months. This happens because they prefer warm and humid environments. The higher the temperature gets, the faster the roaches will start to reproduce. Moreover, warm temperatures “encourage” them to go out on the hunt for food more often.

Do Cockroaches Come Inside When It Gets Cold?

As soon as temperatures drop, cockroaches will start looking for shelter. During the colder months, they will invade the houses that are kept warm. Such places are also full of various food sources.

Do Cockroaches Come Inside When It Rains?

Cockroaches might show up in your house when it starts raining. Especially, if it’s pouring outside. The reason for that is pretty simple, these creatures don’t want to drown.

Do Cockroaches Come Inside When It’s Hot?

Even though cockroaches prefer warm environments, it may sometimes get too hot outside for them. That’s when these insects will begin their search for a cooler shelter (and that might be your house). Cockroaches are also not big fans of the sun rays, so they will start looking for a dark place during the summer.

Moreover, it might become challenging for them to find sources of water outside (yet another reason for them to move inside an inhabited building).

How to Get a Cockroach to Come Out of Hiding?

There are a few simple ways that can help you get a cockroach to come out of its hiding place.

Cockroach Baits

Cockroach baits are something that attracts cockroaches, but you would have to wait a bit for it to happen. Take some sticky paper, a bowl, and leftover food. Place the paper and leftovers inside the bowl. The smell will attract the roaches, they will get inside the bowl, but the sticky trap won’t let them get out.

You can also mix borax with sugar and spread the mixture around the hiding places. The cockroaches will be attracted to the sugar and the borax is the poison that will kill them. Of course, you can always use special cockroach baits as well.

Lamp/Light

If you know exactly where the cockroach is, get a lamp and shine it into the hole where the creature is hiding. Cockroaches hate bright light, so the chances are high that they will run toward a shadow. You can switch off the lights in the room and leave only the lamp on for a more powerful effect.

Repel Them Out of Hiding

Last but not least, you can create a homemade mixture that will scare/repel these insects away instead of attracting them. For example, a finely chopped onion mixed with boric dust spread next to the hiding places will make the creatures leave their shelters in a few hours.

What Causes Cockroaches to Come Inside?

Why Do Cockroaches Come in the House?

There are three main things that can make roaches come into your house and those are food, water, and shelter. The insects are always in search of the first two. When it comes to shelter, some species that live outdoors tend to move indoors when it gets too cold or too hot.

Why Do Cockroaches Come Out During the Day?

Food is the main thing that motivates cockroaches. If they feel hungry, they might come out of their shelter even during the day. Seeing cockroaches running around in the middle of the day is not a good sign.

Probably, the infestation is so severe that these insects have to come out of their hiding places in order to get to the food sources faster than their other “colleagues”. They might also come out during the day if you have scared them.

Why Do Cockroaches Come Out Only at Night?

The fact that cockroaches come out when it’s dark protects them from being seen and eaten by other creatures (or killed by people). Basically, these insects have evolved into nocturnal species.

Why Do Cockroaches Come Out in the Summer?

Roaches love warm and humid weather. It is easier to find food and water sources during summer. For that same reason, cockroaches reproduce much more quickly during summer. However, if it gets too hot outside, these insects will start looking for shelter.

Why Do Cockroaches Come Out in the Heat?

The truth is that cockroaches don’t like when it gets too hot outside. But moderate heat is a different story. When temperatures rise, cockroaches are encouraged to forage for food and reproduce faster. That might be because, during the hotter months, it is usually easier to find food sources.

Moreover, we should not forget that cockroaches are nocturnal creatures. So, the chances are high that they will be hiding during the extreme heat in a colder shelter.

List of Sources

Why do I have cockroaches in my home?, NPIC

Know Your Enemy: Cockroaches, NC State University

Cockroaches, Illinois Department of Public Health