Although There Is Technically No Such Thing As ‘Albino Cockroaches,’ Those Who Report Seeing White Cockroaches Within Their Home Are Not Imagining Things

Every person on the planet has seen a cockroach before, witnessed the quick scuttling of the brown or black pests through the kitchen or bathroom in the middle of the night. Their dark bodies are immediately recognizable to us, which is why when a person suddenly sees what appears to be a white or albino cockroach, it can be something of a shock. People have reported sightings of such “albino cockroaches,” but the truth is they do not exist. However, just because albino cockroaches don’t exist, doesn’t mean those people imagined what they saw. There is actually a pretty simple explanation for these sightings, and it has to do with the lifecycle of cockroaches.

Cockroaches have three stages of life, starting as an egg that hatches into a nymph, which then develops into an adult. Throughout their stages as nymphs and adults, cockroaches regularly shed their skin, which is referred to as molting. When cockroaches molt, the exoskeleton revealed underneath is initially soft and white in color. While they may start off as soft and white, they quickly harden and grow darker in color. Humans don’t usually see newly molted cockroaches, as they generally molt in protected areas to protect their weaker form. However, when an infestation of cockroaches grows serious enough, these cockroaches are forced out of their protected area. This is when residents might see what they think is an “albino cockroach” out in the open. Unfortunately, they haven’t witnessed a rare species thought to not exist, but are instead dealing with a major infestation of cockroaches. Therefore, if you ever do see a white cockroach inside your home, it is time to call in the pest control professionals.

Have you ever seen a white or newly molted cockroach or know someone else that has claimed to see one?