The German Roach Danger
The myth that “stepping on a roach releases eggs” is often debated on the internet, but as Dave explained, it’s not that stepping on them *magically* creates eggs—it’s that if the eggs are *already there*, you are acting as the delivery system. It is particularly risky with the German Cockroach.
The German Cockroach is the most common household pest. Unlike other species, the female carries the egg case until about 24 hours before hatching. That means if you see a female German roach, she is almost certainly carrying a fully loaded clip of 40 babies ready to go. Stepping on her is literally stepping on a nest.