# can roaches survive a freeze?



## MELOC

or more to the point, can roach eggs survive a freeze? 

OMG...it was gross! i visited someone who just had surgery and their home is infested. they are trying traps and sprays when they can afford it, but for now there are mashed roaches in the carpet...etc.

i had one pregnant female on my leg. i am sure i stepped in roach mash. i saw them drop from picture frames to the floor. i got the willies as i hate those dang things. i tossed my clothes in the wash and my shoes and coveralls are outside. i was wondering if a freeze will kill any eggs on my shoes?


BLAHHHHHHH!!!!


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## Mid Tn Mama

make boric acid and flour balls and place them in bags in the corners of the room.


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## moonspirit

What do you mean by freeze? Freeze as in freezer or just a cold area? Roaches can handle very low temperatures, sometimes even down to freezing. They cannot survive in a freezer, though. Even if the roach was pregnant you are fine. Roaches either lay an egg which looks like a big bean, or they give live birth. 

Also flour balls or boric does nothing for roaches.. it might kill a few, but its not going to solve the problem.


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## MELOC

lol...i am more concerned about my house and roach eggs i may have brought home. i did find a pdf from penn state that suggests roaches can be killed by sudden freezing. the colder, longer and more sudden the better. info on egg survival was less specific. i assume it takes a longer duration of colder temps.


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## MELOC

it is too bad our temperatures are starting to moderate. i would suggest they shut the water off and drain it and turn the heat off while they stay somewhere else for a few days. i bet if they opened the windows and basement doors and let the house freeze for several days that it would have a great impact.


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## Danaus29

MELOC, toss the shoes and coveralls in the dryer on low to medium heat for 15 to 30 minutes. Eggs can't survive in temps over 180*F.


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## Alice In TX/MO

I don't think the cold bothers them much. I know our south Texas roaches, mosquitoes, and fire ants laugh at sub freezing weather.


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## Frenchy

I wouldn't be surprised to see roaches survive a nuclearer blast hahahahaha those things are next to impossible to kill


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## snoozy

Put about a Tbsp of boric acid powder (local drugstore) in a pint jar with maybe a cup of wholewheat flour and a 1/4c sugar. Shake it up to mix well. Sprinkle this underneath the fridge and stove and anywhere else you have roaches. They eat it and it desiccates them. In the morning, sweep 'em up. I have used this: it works.

This is a recipe from a compendium of recipes and remedies from India. Where they have 3 inch flying roaches, so they know whereof they speak...


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## txquilter

I think roaches are the ONLY dinosaurs that survived the ICE AGE!


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## Critter183

MELOC said:


> i did find a pdf from penn state that suggests roaches can be killed by sudden freezing. the colder, longer and more sudden the better.


I don't know about eggs, but I know roaches die quickly in very cold temps.

I had an apartment get invaded by roaches years ago. I moved out in the dead of winter, but wanted to make sure I didn't bring any with me.

I took a test roach, put him in a coffee can and put him out on the porch. It was 10f outside that night. He was dead within half an hour.

I cleaned, inspected and packed everything I was taking with me, and put it outside overnight to make sure any hitchhikers were dead. I did have a successful move and never had a roach again.


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## cindy71

I'm one of those people that can't stand a cockroach. I don't like going in peoples houses that have them that bad. My mother has them, not as bad as you described. I will not eat anything cooked at my mothers house. It is sad that she has let her house get the way it is. I think my brother moving in almost 3 years ago has alot to do with it. Roaches, why do we have them I know everything was created for a reason but roaches. I hope everything works out. Cindy


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## deaconjim

I owned a pest control company for several years, so I've had more experience with them than most. I've been in places much worse than what you described. Occasionally I would leave a place and find a hitchhiker, but never had a problem with one being there long enough to lay eggs. The eggs are capsule shaped, and depending on the type of roach, may or may not be glued to the surface upon which it was laid.

I'm not sure if freezing will kill the eggs, but a thorough inspection will tell you if there are any eggs, and mashing them flat will certainly do the job.

For the record, boric acid does kill roaches. If there is an infestation however, I would be much more aggressive. There are baits on the market now that are extremely effective, and aren't toxic to humans. Be aware however, that the eggs will hatch later. The only way to completely get rid of them is to use an insecticide with an IGR to stop the eggs from hatching and any immature roaches from maturing to laying age. For serious infestations, I recommend a professional (stay away from the chain companies and use a service that is locally owned).


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## Big Dave

YEEEW This person had to lay in that filth? Saw this once where black flag had some stuff on the market that would sterilize the nasty boogers. Killed the ones that were not resistant. The others had the wings curled up.Well that stuff was taken off the market. A coka racha can live for thirty days off of a fingerprint on the inside of a glass. YEEEW


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## big rockpile

We had trouble with them one time and Winter the House would get well below Zero.No more problem.

big rockpile


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## marvella

http://www.pestproducts.com/maxforcegel.htm

tell your friends about this stuff. it WORKS!!

some previous renters left a nice infestation behind.

the german roaches in this area are resistant to almost everything.


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## Michael Kawalek

Frenchy said:


> I wouldn't be surprised to see roaches survive a nuclearer blast hahahahaha those things are next to impossible to kill


They can! Roaches can survive 14,000 times the lethal dose of gamma radiation that will kill humans. They won't survive the fireball, but they will survive the fallout.


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## Harry Chickpea

There are no roaches native to Vermont. Extreme cold does kill them if there are no warm hiding spots. I never saw a roach until I was a teenager. However, they get trucked in and can be found in restaurants and homes throughout the north. Like deconjim, I've dealt with ugly infestations (mostly in movie theatres). Borates like boric acid or borax WILL kill them. A lot depends on knowing the hot spots and keeping food away from them.


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## TheMartianChick

I used to manage a scientific store when my children were small. One of my favorite books there was called The Science Book and it had a section on roaches. The chapter explained that roaches have the ability to go into a hibernation state when there is no food and water around. They don't have to do this often though because the can survive on obscure things like toenail clippings and bar soap. People in the northern states can get roaches just like those in warmer climates. Deep freezes don't kill them. If they did, things would be a lot easier for landlords with infestations in their properties.


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## Joshie

Get boric acid powder and put it in the corners of your house. You're sure to have roaches at your place after visiting theirs. It's not expensive. It is also sold as an eye wash. Check to see if the stuff marketed to kill roaches is cheaper than the stuff marketed as eye wash. I would not add flour to this. 

Roaches naturally walk along walls and into corners. They carry the boric acid on their legs to their nests and it kills them. It's less expensive than other methods and it works pretty quickly.


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## moonspirit

Fun fact: There are over 4,000 species of roach. Only 4 of them are known to infest. They are also very clean insects.


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## deaconjim

moonspirit said:


> Fun fact: There are over 4,000 species of roach. Only 4 of them are known to infest. They are also very clean insects.


They are clean in that they clean themselves frequently, but they have been shown to carry as many as 50 different disease causing organisms on their bodies. They are also a significant factor in asthma attacks.


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## tab

I did some research on those things when a tenant was going to buy a used washing machine. They have some sort of an antifreeze that serves to give them some protection against cold. Long lasting, sudden, deep cold does seem to kill them. I found over and over again in my research the things can live for two weeks without a head! That's not right. The dryer idea is a good one. 
If roaches are out in the daytime I'd hate to be around in that place after lights are out, ewwwwww!!!!!!!!!


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## Rocktown Gal

marvella said:


> http://www.pestproducts.com/maxforcegel.htm
> 
> tell your friends about this stuff. it WORKS!!
> 
> some previous renters left a nice infestation behind.
> 
> the german roaches in this area are resistant to almost everything.


After reading the link provided, I now know where mine came from. I lived here for 2 years with no roaches. After I purchased chicks I then had roaches. Never put two and two together until just after reading this article. I have a screened in porch right off my kitchen and when the chicks are little I put them on that porch to keep them safe until they are big enough to move down to the big chicken house. I caused this myself and have not been able to get rid of them. Even with the little black square thingys that you buy in the store. Yes, I do find dead ones but there are still alot of roaches in the kitchen...nowhere else in the house. Now I know why. I have ducks on the porch at this moment but they are leaving because now I know why I have roaches. Get rid of the problem and I should be able to control the roaches. 

Thanks for the link Marvella!


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