Key Facts About Cockroaches

Lifespan: Typically, cockroaches live for 6 to 8 months. Infestations can grow exponentially.
Diet: As scavengers, they eat human food, pet food, rotting matter, and even items like glue or paper.
Survival Skills: They can survive for about one month without food, but only one week without water.
Headless Survival: A cockroach can live for several weeks without its head because they breathe through spiracles (holes) along their body and do not rely on a mouth for breathing.
Habitats: Prefer damp, dark areas, often found in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and near pipes.
Speed: Cockroaches are among the fastest insects, able to travel at speeds up to 3 mph.
Common Species: The German cockroach is the most common indoors, while the American cockroach is another major household pest. 
Common Diseases Carried
Cockroaches can spread various bacteria (like Salmonella and E. coli), viruses, and fungi by carrying them on their bodies and in their feces. The contaminants, which they pick up from garbage and sewage, can lead to food contamination and exacerbate asthma and allergies. 
Common Signs of Infestation
Egg Capsules: Empty, brownish-colored pill-shaped cases called oothecae.
Visible Droppings: Small, dark feces that look like black pepper or coffee grounds.
Odour: A musty, unpleasant odor that intensifies with larger infestations.
Smear Marks: Dark, irregular smudges on walls or surfaces.