Identifying insect eggs

Insect eggs in your home or business could mean bad news. Their presence could mean pests could be infiltrating your home in the future. Once they hatch, they could potentially lead to an infestation.

If you think you have issues with insect eggs or other pest control problems, contact Ehrlich or call us at 800-837-5520 to get a property inspection and to discuss pest treatment options.

Different insect eggs

Not all pest eggs look the same. It is difficult to tell eggs apart, and this is best done by a professional. Here, learn more about egg appearance.

Fly eggs

Flies in your home or business can be embarrassing. A fly-infested space gives off the impression that the place is dirty and unclean. Unlike the sell by date of your favorite brand of gourmet chocolate bunnies, on average the common lifespan of a fly is around 30 days, and they complete their full life cycle within this time period.

Fly Egg Characteristics

• Laid in large batches ranging from 120 – 1000 depending on the species
• Usually laid on a host specimen such as an animal carcass or rotting food as well as other unpleasant habitats
• Hatch into a maggot like form before making the change into a fly
• Must remain moist or they will not hatch

Bed bug eggs

Blood thirsty and nocturnal, bed bugs can be silently laying batches of 10-50 eggs while you sleep. Bed bugs can spread quickly and should not be treated by do-it-yourself methods as they are extremely difficult to completely eliminate without professional help.

Bed Bug Egg Characteristics

• 1mm long
• Pearly white color
• Are laid after an adult has fed
• Can be found near where the adults hide during the day
• Are attached to items of furniture or fittings in clusters

Mosquito eggs

In addition to being world-class bloodsuckers, mosquitoes are also prolific breeders. Due to their vampiric nature they can often be the root cause of the spreading of diseases such as malaria and West Nile Virus. Our mosquito treatments are designed to create a protective barrier around your home or business so you can enjoy your property free from worry. To spot mosquito eggs, be on the lookout for standing water in your yard or landscaping as it only takes a very small amount of pooled water for mosquito eggs to thrive.

Mosquito Egg Characteristics

• Laid on the surface of water in batches
• Batches can consist of up to 300 eggs
• Dark in color, usually black or brown
• Narrow and thin in shape

Termite eggs

Termites are one of the most feared pests by homeowners due to the considerable damage they can inflict on the structural wood of their homes. While termite eggs are visible to the naked eye, they are often hidden out of plain sight either in the ground (subterranean termites) or in the wooden galleries they create (drywood termites). Due to their secretive nature and their penchant for destroying wood, it’s best to schedule a termite inspection with professional if you’re concerned your property may be infested with termites.

Termite Egg Characteristics

• Resemble caviar but smaller.
• Translucent white color
• Archetypical egg shaped
• Queen’s first batch will consist of, on average, 24 eggs
• Laid in sheltered locations such as wall interiors and underground nests.

Cockroach eggs

To say the least, there are many different types of roaches, 3,000 known species in fact exist today. Likewise, the eggs that cockroaches lay are diverse and differ species to species. Some of the more common roach species in the U.S. include the German cockroach, American cockroach and the Oriental cockroach.

Cockroach Egg Characteristics

• Carried in egg cases known as oothecae
• Ootheca contain many eggs, enveloped by a protein substance that gradually hardens into a strong protective casing
• Some cockroach species drop the egg case, while other species carry it until the eggs are ready to hatch
• Number of eggs nested in the ootheca varies from species to species as well as the number of ootheca produced in a lifetime

Flea eggs

Fleas: your pet’s worst nightmare. To avoid a nasty flea infestation in your property, be on the lookout for flea eggs. The usual suspects in flea infestations in the U.S., typically include the cat flea and dog flea. Much like cockroaches, flea eggs differ from species to species.

Flea Egg Characteristics

• Main population of a flea infestation
• 90% of a flea infestation is in the egg stage
• On average a female flea lays more than 30 eggs per day
• Hard to spot due to their size, approximately 0.5mm
• White in color and sometimes transparent

Spider eggs

While not technically insects, spiders are also a common culprit when it comes to infesting buildings. Although often sources of fear and anxiety for humans, spiders are, for the most part, harmless to humans. Not counting the few venomous spiders in the U.S., spiders often perform natural insect control for pests that could be considered more harmful. However, no one wants to uncover hundreds of spider eggs. The ways in which spiders lay eggs can vary throughout the world depending on the species.

Spider Egg Characteristics

• Laid into a silk woven sack
• Location of egg sac depends on the breed of spider
• Time of year during which spider eggs are laid depends on the species
• Number of eggs laid at a time can vary from 2 to 1000 depending on the spider
• Number of batches laid in a lifetime depends on species also

Pigeon eggs

Another non-insect chief egg-layer, pigeons feed on our garbage while causing property damage and exposing humans to disease. Not to mention who wants to go near a pigeon-infested building? Be careful if you notice a nest of pigeon eggs on your property as they are one of the few bird species in the U.S. that are not federally protected.

Pigeon Egg Characteristics

• Lay 2-3 batches a year
• Batches consist of 2 eggs
• Eggs are a solid white color and hatch in 18 days
• Pigeon eggs usually depict an infestation

Ehrlich is your expert in insect treatment

If you suspect that there are insect eggs on your property, contact Ehrlich, your expert in insect control, for an inspection. One of our friendly specialists will take care of the issue so you are pest-free.