Easter Egg or Pest Egg?

With Easter popping its head round the corner the essence of chocolate eggs are slowly filling the air, but they’re not the only type of eggs you can expect to see this Easter. The insect world is filled with tiny eggs getting ready to spawn the future pests to inhabit your home.

Signs of insect eggs in your home and/or workplace could indicate that you have an infestation on your hands. So being able to correctly identify an insect egg can assist you in managing a pest infection.

Much like the vast array of different chocolate Easter eggs consuming the shelves in your local supermarket, there is a whole range of insect eggs waiting to hatch and cause mischief around your property.

Types of Insect Eggs

Bed Bug Eggs

Did you know that these mischievous creatures lay between 200 and 500 eggs over a 2 month period in batches of 10 to 50? If you’ve discovered these little devils then its a sign that you have a bed bug problem as their biology naturally promotes infestation.

Bed Bug Egg Characteristics

• 1mm long
• Pearly white colour
• 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 by a transparent nature

Cockroach Eggs

There are over 3000 different species of cockroaches at this point in time – some are considered pests whilst others provide strong benefits to their natural environment. However, much like the thousands of chocolate eggs that will be scattered across back gardens and parks this year for Easter egg hunts, there is a wide variety of cockroach eggs occupying Australia.

Cockroach Egg Characteristics

• Female cockroaches produce egg cases known as oothecae
• Ootheca contain many eggs and are 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
• The 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

There are many different species of fleas, each with their own life cycle. But the most common species are cat and dog fleas. Much like cockroaches, flea eggs differ from species to species.

Flea Egg Characteristics

• Main population of a flea infestation
• 90% of a flea infestation are in the egg stage
• On average a female flea lays more than 30 eggs per day
• Hard to spot due to their size usually being around 0.5mm in size
• White in colour and sometimes transparent

Spider Eggs

The majority of spiders which are considered pests are harmless to humans, however this differs from country to country and thus so does each species life cycle and eggs. For example the Harvestman Spider lays its eggs in moist soil whereas the Black House spider hide their eggs within a white silver sac secured within a web retreat, much like a child hiding their Easter eggs from an older brother or sister.

Spider Egg Characteristics

• Eggs are laid into a silk woven sack
• Where the egg sac is hidden depends on the breed of spider
• The time of year in which spider eggs are laid depend on the species
• The number of eggs laid at a time can vary from 2 to 1000 depending on the spider, this is also evident in the number of batches laid in a lifetime

Fly Eggs

Flies are one of the most common form of pest recognised globally, but a little know fact is that there is a wide range of fly species. Unlike the sell by date of your favourite chocolate Easter egg, on average the common lifespan of a fly is around 30 days, and complete their full life cycle within this time period.

Fly Egg Characteristics

• Eggs are 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
• Eggs must remain moist or they will not hatch

Mosquito Eggs

An unknown fact about mosquitos is that there are many species of mosquitoes which can be found all around the world. Due to their vampiric nature they can often be the root cause of the spreading of diseases such as malaria. It is because of this that effectively dealing with a mosquito problem in your home and/or workplace is a top priority.

Mosquito Egg Characteristics

• Eggs are laid on the surface of water in batches
• Batches can consist of up to 300 eggs
• Dark in colour, usually black or brown
• Eggs are narrow and thin in shape

Termite Eggs

Sometimes referred to as ‘white ants’ termites can cause extensive damage to the structural integrity of a property, and although their eggs are visible to the naked eye, they are often hidden out of plain sight. Although termite eggs are an important part of the colony, evidence of such does not point towards and infestation.

Termite Egg Characteristics

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

Pigeon Eggs

Descended from wild rock doves, pigeons thrive in the urban environment harvesting food from the scrapes human’s leave behind.

Pigeon Egg Characteristics

• Lay 2-3 batches a year
• Each batch consists of 2 eggs
• Eggs are a solid white colour and hatch in 18 days
• Signs of pigeon egg usually depicts an infestation

As it is with the majority of these pests, signs of pest eggs usually depict an infestation. Soaking up any knowledge you can about the eggs of common pests found inhabiting your homes and workplaces in your country can help streamline the approach to efficiently managing and potential a pest problem. This will ultimately save you both time and money.

Here’s a tip in addition to your yearly Easter egg hunt this year, why not go on a pest egg hunt and explore your home and/or workplace for any signs of a pest dilemma.