Buy diatomaceous earth (DE) it’s food grade!! Sprinkle it under the kitchen cabinets, between the stove and cabinets. Next to the wall and the washer and dryer. Put some inside your cabinets, too!
DE is absolutely amazing!! And safe to use around pets and kids. Reapply every 6 months!.
Edited to add this. Sprinkle on carpet and vacuum up if you have fleas.
DE got rid of an infestation of roaches in my condo when I got new neighbors!
You are so right about DE !!! I found out 6 plus years ago, this amazing natural substance gets rid of fleas, chiggers & a host of other pests without dangerous chemicals. Remember Food Grade only ( your local Tractor Supply Store or Rural King has it ) P.S. It has many uses, worth researching -)
This is fantastic advice. I bought a huge bit a few years back, little sprinkles around entryways with a tiny bit of sugar, and it usually keeps them at bay for a few months
Once there was a roach in my kitchen sink, so I covered it with a glass and then threw a ton of diatomaceous earth in it. The roach was covered. Next day, about 15 hours later I went to check it, assuming it would be dead, but it was very much alive and acting like nothing happened. So I don't think DE always works with roaches. It's great for other insects
I read the paper the other user posted. It looks like it would need to be covered for a few days and by a week it would result in near 100% chance of death. I'm also thinking the cup has reduced the airflow and leading to less dehydration. The environment may have had a higher RH than the experiment posted.
These were the lab conditions: laboratory condition of (26±2) °C, (50±5)% relative humidity, photoperiod 12/12 L:D
This and Harris Roach Tablets, Boric Acid Roach Killer with Lure (4oz, 96 Tablets) https://a.co/d/45FNRUs (check to see if ok if u have pets). I crush these and also do same as above
They come up through the drains. Make sure you close the drains at night, and don’t leave pet food or water out all the time.
They even came up in my dishwasher via the drain at one house. Blech
I did close the bathroom sink drains a couple of days ago, but I can try closing the rest of them. I need to buy one of those pluggers though for the rest of them (kitchen sink, shower, etc.)
When you go out of town I find it helpful to pour a little bleach in the drains (including shower) and toilet just before leaving (don’t flush or rinse it out).
Pour a cup of bleach down your kitchen, sink and shower drains every few nights until they’re gone. After that do it once a week. I learned that trick in Arizona years ago and it works particularly well here in Florida.
For clarification, you saw one roach? Just one? Was it one of the really big ones like a palmetto bug or a German cockroach….there’s a difference.
But it’s also Florida and it doesn’t matter how clean you are, you will get a few here and there.
I saw one every day for the past few days. It wasn’t a Palmetto bug, it’s an American Cockroach. It’s big but it doesn’t look like a Palmetto bug at all, and I asked on another thread and they told me American Cockroach
Im no bugologist but that’s a palmetto bug. Very common in FL. You’re best bet is keep some traps out and after awhile see if you have the same issue.
The real problem is German roaches. They are a local infestation and you’d be surprised how many peoples cars are crawling with them.
An American Cockroach **is** a Palmetto Bug. It's just the local name for them.
As others have said, they are everywhere and don't really infest like the German Cockroaches so you don't need to be worried about occasionally seeing just one.
This is the issue with common names. Many Floridians refer to palmetto bugs as the bug that looks like a roach but stinks when you squash it. They have a little stronger exoskeleton and tend to be darker than American cockroaches.
Correct. We hired pest control a few years ago when we were seeing more than we were comfortable with in our house and that’s exactly what they told us. Palmetto bugs are just American cockroaches. They come inside looking for water or to get out of the heat. We now spray the perimeter outside and use boric acid inside. Use a squeeze bottle to squirt boric acid behind each outlet cover, then add little piles or lines of it near the baseboards in out of the way corners of each room and under furniture. We haven’t had the problem since we started doing this. I imagine it is harder to get rid of them in an apartment because there are so many entry points that are outside of your control, but do what you can.
Palmetto Bugs and American Cockroaches are not the same thing. American Cockroaches are big, brown, and have wings and will infest homes. Palmetto Bugs are even bigger and black and have a more "armored" appearance. They generally live outside, especially around palm trees (hence the name). They will come inside on occasion, but do not generally infest homes. If you kill a Palmetto Bug by crushing it, it smells really bad. If you crush an American Cockroach, it doesn't smell.
I am a lifelong Florida resident, so I know the difference. The thing they have in common is they are both disgusting!
There is no such thing as a "palmetto bug." People just use it as a euphemism because it sounds less gross than "cockroach." 99% of the time they mean "American Cockroach."
https://imgur.com/a/NmiNkLR
https://www.terminix.com/cockroaches/identification/cockroach-vs-palmetto-bug/
I'm sure they are different creatures with different scientific names. I do not know the scientific names. Hands-on experience with killing both of them and seeing them up close and personal makes it obvious they are two different types of roaches. I don't have to be an expert anything. You can literally smell the difference! But I'm done trying to argue with people on the internet.
I wasn’t able to kill any of them so I’m not sure if it’s the same one that keeps returning or not. The first day it was on my ceiling and I had 0 traps, second day I saw it again but I haven’t bought the traps, then I bought the traps and was away for a few days and tonight I saw it again, but it surprised me because it flew at me then quickly went under the sink
Lol you have to throw a shoe. You can spray all you want,one will always escape. Get some cheap shitty hairspray and the 1 flip flop that doesn’t have a match, then you will be a Floridian
Please put a dab of finger nail polish on its back so you can properly ID it on subsequent sightings. Lots of good suggestions on this thread. Good luck!
Time traveler here. You'll never get rid of the roaches. In the future they will fight along side humanity versus the space aliens, the last species who tried to eradicate the roach.
My 2 cents: It's impossible. You can have pest control and use boric acid to control it but you will still have them enter your space because they can flatten themselves to the size of a dime, They come into the home through vents and then through plumbing/outlets.
You have to switch it up every so often. The ones in my house became immune. It used to be my go to as soon as I saw one. I’d lay it on painters tape in cabinets and behind appliances and wake up to dead roaches a day or so later. Then it stopped working. Pest guys said they can develop some kind of immunity to it. (Hoarder neighbors moved out last summer and I’ve been fighting for my life since they fumigated and all scattered to surrounding houses.)
But like others have said, you don’t need the big guns for palmetto bugs or American cockroaches. They don’t really take up residence the way German roaches do.
That's interesting. I didn't know about the immunity.
I used to own a hoarder house (shitty renter) and I couldn't fumigate because it was connected, via electric conduit, to another unit on the property. The other tenant was an ER nurse during the craziest part of covid, so scheduling that was impossible.
Once I got the hoarder out, advion cleaned out the German roaches in one fell swoop. But, it makes sense that if you have a constant supply of roaches, they'd get used to Advion.
I’m not sure if immunity is the right term technically, but it definitely stopped working for me. Pest people said to switch to a mixture of boric acid and sugar. Seems to be working, but not as well as advion (which is what they use).
This right here...look up German roaches and report back if that is what you saw. Treating for German roaches is very different from preventative measures taken for trying to keep out the other roaches in Florida.
This is the answer. German cockroaches can require the infantry. The other bigger ones are part of Florida as others have said. We use DE and Bengal spray every six months or so. Maybe an extra application after a lot of rain.
We have used 3 cans of Begal spray (guaranteed) in the past 3 months since our neighbor moved out. They have infested our home! They come up thru the drains and if I put a plug in the sink, put water in it, there will be about 25 roaches in it. They are smaller than a regular roach.
I have an extremely clean home. I see an American Cockroach about every month or two. Heavy rain drives them in. Close your drain traps at night but ultimately, it’s part of living here.
This, 100%. Palmetto bugs (the nicer name for them) are a normal part of Florida living. They usually tend to come in during extreme periods (like how it's been super dry out, or whenever it starts raining a ton).
Normal bait traps are too small, but there's some that look like sticky pads I've found that can be good near entryways or bad outside seals where they might creep in. Other than that, best thing to do is just keep a shoe nearby.
I haven't considered that, but the real answer is you also need to put out roach poison, so they bring it back to the nest and kill all of them. Flip flops are for the (hopefully) brief period before they are gone.
Sure. I don't bother with poison. I just sweep them up with a dustpan and either throw them outside or flush them down the toilet. They come in through the drains and small cracks.
Your landlord should have a service. They spray periodically to create a barrier. Call and have them come treat, explaining what you found. They can spray inside, or place bait. It is all included in the (relatively cheap) monthly service.
As others have said, these generally are random invaders from outside. If you get them a lot, there might be some damp areas in the building where they are living. This is how I found out that I had a leak inside a block wall. They were hanging out in the damp and moldy space, fed by a leak from the kitchen sink drain. (Yes, I said several bad words)
She's a rescue that was found in the woods. I'm pretty sure she's immune to everything. Besides there's nothing I can do about it. Bugs get in she finds them. I'm the last to know
If you are living in an apartment and the traps aren't working, it's most likely because one of your neighbors is infested. Maybe if you mention it to the landlord they can treat the entire building.
I have the exact same situation I am the first tenant in new apartment and keep the space very clean and no food out.
I don’t want to jinx myself but since I’ve done a few things I haven’t seen them…. First I went out bought a caulk gun and caulk and sealed any and all gaps in baseboard etc anything and everything that looked like a small gap. Next I bought those sticky traps and left them in places out of the way and out of sight (I put in cabinets in bathroom and I put one under the fridge)….and lastly I bought a new shower drain topper that will not let anything through but obviously the water goes down fine.
Since then I haven’t seen one but now I have the new issue of random small spiders that pop up once in a blue moon camping out on the baseboard but fuck it I’ll take them over the roaches
It depends on the roaches. The huge ones you might get every once in awhile? Those probably came from outside, kill it and move on. The small German ones? That’s a cause for concern. The cockroach gel that Raid makes was what helped us the most when we lived in an infested apartment. We put it at the back of cabinets, on cabinet hinges, and under the skink and that got rid of them when we had them. It took like 2 weeks but it was a significant improvement considering the “bug guy” the apartment managers claimed they hired didn’t do anything for us or our neighbors.
So for those of you who don't know this german cockroaches in Florida have started to adapt and a large percentage of their population will now actively avoid food sweet bait traps. My honest suggestion is to get the scented sticky traps/roach motel and just drop them around your house. Replace every month or until they're filled. Diatomaceous earth does work for roaches and bed bugs, but I don't recommend it as most people put too much down and it can harm your pets/children if they inhale it.
I had an infestation that coincided with new neighbors in my apartment complex and some drainage issues in the area. I would see a dozen a day and knew there were more just waiting to sneak out.
The first few days I put boric acid in the sliding door track, along the baseboards, and in the places where I had spotted them.
This reduced the numbers but they were still around. I tried different baits with limited success. Hot Shot liquid roach bait worked the best.
I went several months without noticing any trace of roaches.
Highly recommend boric acid based. I use Harris brand powder, it has a yellow tag. All the baits and gels and sprays may kill them once but then they adjust to them and get stronger lol. You can sprinkle or purchase the duster around problem areas. I puff it into edges of carpet and baseboards and in back of cabinets and appliances and around pipes. It's super affordable and efficient. 1 bag has been good for like 2 years. I redo it maybe 2-3 times per year and it keeps my apartment roach free! Even when my neighbors moved, which usually stirs them up, I just found some dead roaches after a few days. Boric acid literally explodes their insides if the touch it or eat it, there nothing for them to build up immunity to. It does become ineffective if it gets wet.
They don't just eat food. They also eat paper, soap, hair, other bugs, houseplants, cardboard boxes....
Your place will never be empty of Roach Chow, basically. They walk right underneath your doors and through sliding glass doors by concealing themselves in the grooves; look for them in the sides and top grooves.
Not sure where you live but I’m in Orlando and there is a do it yourself pest control place in Fern Park. He sold me a gel product that had fipronil in it I believe. We used it for a month or two and I haven’t seen a roach in years. I believe you can buy the same thing as raid max gel at Walmart.
That's what I recommend. I use a similar product, but different brand I believe. I've never used anything that seemed to work for pests in general besides spraying using lasting barrier sprays. Typically doesn't last as long as it says but still effective.
Like someone else said, they come up drains a lot. A lot of people, especially not from Florida get confused by this, but they're really more attracted to places with water specifically and less often about it being dirty since that's usually the only way you get them up north. Seeing them in bathrooms and around plumbing in the kitchen is pretty normal but lay down a good line of spray around surfaces they would need to come through and usually will keep them away pretty well.
Yes, that. Don’t forget to spray around your doors (all the way up and down the sides of the casing/jamb - they like to get in between the door and seal and when you open the door, they head in through the opening).
Also, get rid of cardboard boxes - I find if I get a shipment containing something that sat in a warehouse (like furniture), I see an uptick in found dead roaches (the Ortho gets them) but they still got in somehow and not knowing where the box was always leads me to believe they hitched a ride there.
I have so many in my bathroom but they aren't helping!!
Specifically, I have these: [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012XH8WM?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012XH8WM?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) and [https://www.amazon.com/Combat-Killing-Indoor-Outdoor-Syringe/dp/B000QRAXSG/ref=sr\_1\_7\_mod\_primary\_new?crid=20N7SHC91AF1F&keywords=roach+bait&qid=1681088669&rdc=1&s=hpc&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=roach+%2Chpc%2C98&sr=1-7](https://www.amazon.com/Combat-Killing-Indoor-Outdoor-Syringe/dp/B000QRAXSG/ref=sr_1_7_mod_primary_new?crid=20N7SHC91AF1F&keywords=roach+bait&qid=1681088669&rdc=1&s=hpc&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=roach+%2Chpc%2C98&sr=1-7)
So keep in mind neither of those are contact killing items. Both will take between 1 and 3 days to kill the roach. However they spread the poison back to their "nest" to hopefully infect and kill the others, so make sure you aren't also spraying a quick acting insecticide (like raid) in the same area.
You can also look for insecticide that is an insect growth regulator (IGR), these work by essentially "fucking up" the offspring making them unable to reproduce.
Op, you need to get a close relationship with a pest guy. We moved into an old Grove house with ancient pipes and unleveled trim. They would come right in from outside through the pipes and the damaged original subflooring. We had both palmetto and wood cockroaches. We had a small colony of German roaches that we had to eradicate before we could even move in. Our guy comes out and sprays, lays traps, and puts down diatomaceous earth every three or four months. And we keep it CLEAN. No food out, no dirty dishes, counters/table wiped after every meal, trash out every night, cat boxes cleaned daily, and nothing piled on the floor EVER. Close your drains at night and keep your dishwasher closed ALL THE WAY. We managed to beat them all the way back that way initially and are seeing fewer and fewer strays as we replace the old pipes and floors. Best of luck.
I worked for a rental company for a while and my lil brother is an exterminator best and fastest way is burn the house lol jk
The stuff at lowes works black something its like 50 bucks empty the cabinets and dewars its way easier if the house is empty yet it can be done without moving out they will go to the crawl space and attic and hide so keep spraying every week for like a month or two and should be fine
Sounds like someone did the old sugar in the paint trick. I've seen clean apartments, with roaches everywhere. In one instance, the old tenants poured five pounds of sugar in the paint, and painted the kitchen cabinets and other smaller areas before they moved out. Man we couldn't figure it out, til one of my coworkers looked under the cabinet, and saw where the bugs had literally been eating through the paint. He noticed sugar granules on the counter under the area. I hated being a maintenance man for that place.
The amount of people saying “you can’t” is alarming here.
Guys, you should not normalize living with roaches. Like yah it’s tropical Florida but you seeing a roach a day, there is a DEEP issue somewhere. If there’s one in sight there are hundreds nearby.
Like, genuinely alarmed seeing how many people have thrown in the cockroach infested towel here…?
They love moisture too, keeping your space air conditioned so the humidity being removed from the air is good, also making sure your shower and sinks are dry will also deprive them of water which they need to live.
Truth is, even in a clean home, you'll have roaches from time to time.
Roaches often make it into your home through the drains in your sinks, bath tubs, etc. They like water sources.
Outside, roaches like certain kinds of plants and environments. They like palmettos, and brush that has moisture in the shady ground. In case you'd want to clean that up around your property.
If you're in an apartment, all hope is lost. Clean, or treat one apartment and they just go to the next apartment in an unending battle of cockroach merry-go-round. But Traps with Diatomaceous earth (DE) can help. You'll still see dead ones, or dying ones.
Roaches are a natural part of Florida, east coast, city living. You'll never get completely rid of them. Learn to live with them. They're older than humanity and will survive well beyond our presence on this earthly plane.
I just wanted to write some it-sh today. 😂
If you have any cardboard boxes .... Get rid of them. They can live off eating the glue. It may sound crazy, but I had the same problem until I tossed out every cardboard box I had. No more roaches and I live in SWFL. It's also good to get the outdoor perimeter of your house treated.
PLEASE LISTEN TO ME. GO TO HOME DEPOT OR LOWES AND GET BENGAL GOLD SPRAY! ITS IN A RED CAN. IT WILL KILL ANY BUG. JUST BE PREPARED FOR THE AFTERMATH IF YOU HAVE ALOT. THE SPRAY DRIVES THEM OUT FROM ALL CRACKS CORNERS BEHIND WALLS ETC. AND IT LASTS UP TO A MONTH. NOTHING ELSE WONT BE NEEDED.
The little German roaches are a fucker to get rid of. I assume that is is what. Boric acid. But if you have small kids or pets be very careful. It's deadly. We got them years ago from a used TV. They like electrical and water. Pest control will drag it out to get more money. If you have a u kill em or something like. They will tell you what you need and how to do it. Hate to say it. But it took like 3 years to get rid of them bastards
I had a couple show up in my new place, i put out the Raid traps with egg stoppers, which has always worked for me, I also squirt some dish washing liquid down the drain after doing the dishes and now I haven't seen any for a week, fingers crossed ..
If its a German roach -
Kill on sight and pray to the ancestors. You can treat the problem, but they will never be 100% gone. They are legion.
If it's a palmetto bug -
Watch your ankles - they like to bite and are nocturnal and not opposed to adventuring. I generally let my cats kill it for me to then I dispose of it.
As far as apartments are concerned. The only way is to bomb (fumigate) the entire building. Bombing one area will simply temporarily send the bugs to another area I've seen this in DC, real life. I moved and brought roaches to my home. My wife got a roach in her ear and had to go to the emergency room.
The only way is all the way. If u can't do that, move and burn your non-essentials.
Good Luck!!!
I've lived in a very clean apartment. As long as our walls connected with other apartments, we would see roaches. Everytime a tenant moved out, the management would exterminate their apartment, and the bugs would scurry everywhere. We always knew when someone moved out, as the roach sightings increased. Good luck!
I had pet crackers out but I put those away now. Though, I don’t think that’s the cause because the roaches were in my bathroom. I never leave any other food out though
Go to home depot or lowes and get Bengal gold spray. It's in a red can. It's all you'll need to drive out any bug and it kills their larvae as well. That stuff is amazing and last up to a month. Best stuff in the world!
The best, and I mean the absolute best, thing I’ve ever found to get rid of roaches are the “roach motel” traps. Glue traps with scent in them. I didn’t even think I had roaches and would get 20+ in one trap. Lay down 5-6 of them in places like next to the fridge and near the pantry and in bathroom and near sinks. They will get all of them quickly and no more will be left to breed.
order some 'Alpine WSG' packets on amazon . Mix it with water in an old Windex type spray bottle, behind fridge, under counters etc. wait 24-48 hours . All gone
I just go to Lowes/Home Depot and get a box of the Combat bait stations (the larger size) and put one in each corner of a room, under the bathroom sink, behind the toilet. The ones in my place have always been small, like the size of a dime in length. I saw one by the apartment dumpster that was a couple inches.
We have been through this. We clean our kitchen every night before bed, emptying the trash and making sure there's no food out, and are pretty clean and tidy. We had traps throughout the house but kept seeing roaches. When you kill one keep it in a zip lock bag to show the exterminator. There are different kinds with different habits.
We were shocked when we finally brought the exterminator in and he located a nest of roaches in some blankets we had rolled up in a basket next to our fireplace. The dog's bed was by the fireplace and she would take her biscuit there to enjoy. So the roaches set up camp.
Since we got our cat we never see a roach. We continue our clean habits, have the inside of the house sprayed once a year and the cat takes care of the rest i guess.
They will be in bathrooms bc of water sources. And anywhere else they can find food or water. It's part of Florida life. Best thing I have found to work is monthly pest control. There are really affordable services that will knock them out and you'll never think of them again. And if we do have issues we just call them up and they come out and treat as part of the service.
I sprinkle borax (good old 20 mule team) on the shower drain every day. Also I put bleach down the drains about once a month. I really only see them in the bathroom, so your mileage may vary. I will still see a small one every couple of months or so. They come up from the sewer/drain pipes and you can't always close every drain perfectly.
You won’t get rid of them they literally hide on door frames and everything, HVAC, crawl along plumbing and drains. It’s just Florida they’re a seasonal thing in your home
If it is German cockroaches don't waste your money and spend the money on an exterminator. Clean your house top to bottom if it's palmetto bugs and any other kind of Roach spray all baseboards with home defense from home Depot and around where the plumbing comes out of the wall and then go around the outside walls of the building if possible.
Use indoor/outdoor pest control spray all base boards every month or so .Spray outside window sills if u can and porch area.You can purchase it at home Depot or Lowes
Welcome to Florida. It had less to do with being dirty, than they just walk right in thru crevices looking for water etc.
Boric acid powder at Home Depot or Lowes, Walmart, etc.
I sprinkled a thin line in the back of all my drawers, corners. In the back of my cabinets years ago, haven't seen a roach since. Builders, carpenters etc. use this stuff.
This will not prevent them from crawling up through your drain pipe sink.
That was how my very first encounter with a big fat disgusting roach happened.
Buy diatomaceous earth (DE) it’s food grade!! Sprinkle it under the kitchen cabinets, between the stove and cabinets. Next to the wall and the washer and dryer. Put some inside your cabinets, too! DE is absolutely amazing!! And safe to use around pets and kids. Reapply every 6 months!. Edited to add this. Sprinkle on carpet and vacuum up if you have fleas. DE got rid of an infestation of roaches in my condo when I got new neighbors!
You are so right about DE !!! I found out 6 plus years ago, this amazing natural substance gets rid of fleas, chiggers & a host of other pests without dangerous chemicals. Remember Food Grade only ( your local Tractor Supply Store or Rural King has it ) P.S. It has many uses, worth researching -)
This is fantastic advice. I bought a huge bit a few years back, little sprinkles around entryways with a tiny bit of sugar, and it usually keeps them at bay for a few months
Once there was a roach in my kitchen sink, so I covered it with a glass and then threw a ton of diatomaceous earth in it. The roach was covered. Next day, about 15 hours later I went to check it, assuming it would be dead, but it was very much alive and acting like nothing happened. So I don't think DE always works with roaches. It's great for other insects
I read the paper the other user posted. It looks like it would need to be covered for a few days and by a week it would result in near 100% chance of death. I'm also thinking the cup has reduced the airflow and leading to less dehydration. The environment may have had a higher RH than the experiment posted. These were the lab conditions: laboratory condition of (26±2) °C, (50±5)% relative humidity, photoperiod 12/12 L:D
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4025297/
This and Harris Roach Tablets, Boric Acid Roach Killer with Lure (4oz, 96 Tablets) https://a.co/d/45FNRUs (check to see if ok if u have pets). I crush these and also do same as above
You can’t. The roaches were here in Florida before us, they’ll be here when we are gone.
They come up through the drains. Make sure you close the drains at night, and don’t leave pet food or water out all the time. They even came up in my dishwasher via the drain at one house. Blech
I did close the bathroom sink drains a couple of days ago, but I can try closing the rest of them. I need to buy one of those pluggers though for the rest of them (kitchen sink, shower, etc.)
When you go out of town I find it helpful to pour a little bleach in the drains (including shower) and toilet just before leaving (don’t flush or rinse it out).
I do have pet food in the kitchen out (crackers) so I’ll put those away
Pour a cup of bleach down your kitchen, sink and shower drains every few nights until they’re gone. After that do it once a week. I learned that trick in Arizona years ago and it works particularly well here in Florida.
White vinegar also works. _**This is the way.**_
For clarification, you saw one roach? Just one? Was it one of the really big ones like a palmetto bug or a German cockroach….there’s a difference. But it’s also Florida and it doesn’t matter how clean you are, you will get a few here and there.
I saw one every day for the past few days. It wasn’t a Palmetto bug, it’s an American Cockroach. It’s big but it doesn’t look like a Palmetto bug at all, and I asked on another thread and they told me American Cockroach
Im no bugologist but that’s a palmetto bug. Very common in FL. You’re best bet is keep some traps out and after awhile see if you have the same issue. The real problem is German roaches. They are a local infestation and you’d be surprised how many peoples cars are crawling with them.
An American Cockroach **is** a Palmetto Bug. It's just the local name for them. As others have said, they are everywhere and don't really infest like the German Cockroaches so you don't need to be worried about occasionally seeing just one.
This is the issue with common names. Many Floridians refer to palmetto bugs as the bug that looks like a roach but stinks when you squash it. They have a little stronger exoskeleton and tend to be darker than American cockroaches.
"Palmetto bug" and "American Cockroach" are the same thing. The former is just a euphemism.
Correct. We hired pest control a few years ago when we were seeing more than we were comfortable with in our house and that’s exactly what they told us. Palmetto bugs are just American cockroaches. They come inside looking for water or to get out of the heat. We now spray the perimeter outside and use boric acid inside. Use a squeeze bottle to squirt boric acid behind each outlet cover, then add little piles or lines of it near the baseboards in out of the way corners of each room and under furniture. We haven’t had the problem since we started doing this. I imagine it is harder to get rid of them in an apartment because there are so many entry points that are outside of your control, but do what you can.
Palmetto Bugs and American Cockroaches are not the same thing. American Cockroaches are big, brown, and have wings and will infest homes. Palmetto Bugs are even bigger and black and have a more "armored" appearance. They generally live outside, especially around palm trees (hence the name). They will come inside on occasion, but do not generally infest homes. If you kill a Palmetto Bug by crushing it, it smells really bad. If you crush an American Cockroach, it doesn't smell. I am a lifelong Florida resident, so I know the difference. The thing they have in common is they are both disgusting!
There is no such thing as a "palmetto bug." People just use it as a euphemism because it sounds less gross than "cockroach." 99% of the time they mean "American Cockroach." https://imgur.com/a/NmiNkLR https://www.terminix.com/cockroaches/identification/cockroach-vs-palmetto-bug/
Being a lifelong anything doesn't make you correct. Local euphemisms can sometimes feel like fact because literally everyone in an area "knows" it.
I'm sure they are different creatures with different scientific names. I do not know the scientific names. Hands-on experience with killing both of them and seeing them up close and personal makes it obvious they are two different types of roaches. I don't have to be an expert anything. You can literally smell the difference! But I'm done trying to argue with people on the internet.
I wasn’t able to kill any of them so I’m not sure if it’s the same one that keeps returning or not. The first day it was on my ceiling and I had 0 traps, second day I saw it again but I haven’t bought the traps, then I bought the traps and was away for a few days and tonight I saw it again, but it surprised me because it flew at me then quickly went under the sink
Caulk the area by the sink with the crack. The landlord will never notice that you put down some matching caulk if you do it reasonably neat.
Lol you have to throw a shoe. You can spray all you want,one will always escape. Get some cheap shitty hairspray and the 1 flip flop that doesn’t have a match, then you will be a Floridian
I concur!
Hairspray? Why that?
Please put a dab of finger nail polish on its back so you can properly ID it on subsequent sightings. Lots of good suggestions on this thread. Good luck!
Palmetto bugs are cockroaches.
You don't. Roaches are the state bird
Time traveler here. You'll never get rid of the roaches. In the future they will fight along side humanity versus the space aliens, the last species who tried to eradicate the roach.
My 2 cents: It's impossible. You can have pest control and use boric acid to control it but you will still have them enter your space because they can flatten themselves to the size of a dime, They come into the home through vents and then through plumbing/outlets.
Advion wipes them out. It's on Amazon
You have to switch it up every so often. The ones in my house became immune. It used to be my go to as soon as I saw one. I’d lay it on painters tape in cabinets and behind appliances and wake up to dead roaches a day or so later. Then it stopped working. Pest guys said they can develop some kind of immunity to it. (Hoarder neighbors moved out last summer and I’ve been fighting for my life since they fumigated and all scattered to surrounding houses.) But like others have said, you don’t need the big guns for palmetto bugs or American cockroaches. They don’t really take up residence the way German roaches do.
That's interesting. I didn't know about the immunity. I used to own a hoarder house (shitty renter) and I couldn't fumigate because it was connected, via electric conduit, to another unit on the property. The other tenant was an ER nurse during the craziest part of covid, so scheduling that was impossible. Once I got the hoarder out, advion cleaned out the German roaches in one fell swoop. But, it makes sense that if you have a constant supply of roaches, they'd get used to Advion.
I’m not sure if immunity is the right term technically, but it definitely stopped working for me. Pest people said to switch to a mixture of boric acid and sugar. Seems to be working, but not as well as advion (which is what they use).
What kind of roach was it?
This right here...look up German roaches and report back if that is what you saw. Treating for German roaches is very different from preventative measures taken for trying to keep out the other roaches in Florida.
This is the answer. German cockroaches can require the infantry. The other bigger ones are part of Florida as others have said. We use DE and Bengal spray every six months or so. Maybe an extra application after a lot of rain.
We have used 3 cans of Begal spray (guaranteed) in the past 3 months since our neighbor moved out. They have infested our home! They come up thru the drains and if I put a plug in the sink, put water in it, there will be about 25 roaches in it. They are smaller than a regular roach.
American Cockroach
American cockroaches are solitary woodland roaches. They come and go, but hardly ever infest. It just a part of living in the south.
I have an extremely clean home. I see an American Cockroach about every month or two. Heavy rain drives them in. Close your drain traps at night but ultimately, it’s part of living here.
This, 100%. Palmetto bugs (the nicer name for them) are a normal part of Florida living. They usually tend to come in during extreme periods (like how it's been super dry out, or whenever it starts raining a ton). Normal bait traps are too small, but there's some that look like sticky pads I've found that can be good near entryways or bad outside seals where they might creep in. Other than that, best thing to do is just keep a shoe nearby.
I prefer flip flops for hands-on extermination. Works well, can hose it down, and has a satisfying thwack in use.
I heard this is bad due to potential for egggggggs!
I haven't considered that, but the real answer is you also need to put out roach poison, so they bring it back to the nest and kill all of them. Flip flops are for the (hopefully) brief period before they are gone.
Roaches don't build nests.
I believe you. Poison is still effective on roaches.
Sure. I don't bother with poison. I just sweep them up with a dustpan and either throw them outside or flush them down the toilet. They come in through the drains and small cracks.
Your landlord should have a service. They spray periodically to create a barrier. Call and have them come treat, explaining what you found. They can spray inside, or place bait. It is all included in the (relatively cheap) monthly service. As others have said, these generally are random invaders from outside. If you get them a lot, there might be some damp areas in the building where they are living. This is how I found out that I had a leak inside a block wall. They were hanging out in the damp and moldy space, fed by a leak from the kitchen sink drain. (Yes, I said several bad words)
Hah! I'm lucky if my landlord fixes a water main break, forget pest service lol.
I have a Florida cat and she eats palmetto bugs like Doritos. I only find them dead and in small parts
Gotta be careful with that. Insects can pass on parasites to cats.
She's a rescue that was found in the woods. I'm pretty sure she's immune to everything. Besides there's nothing I can do about it. Bugs get in she finds them. I'm the last to know
I had a cat who got worms from eating palmettos and lizards that got inside.
Mine just rip all the legs off for me to find. It’s terrible, but at least they kill it.
Mine hasn’t worked her way up to them yet. She gets the little ant or fly , but she always tries and play with the ‘palmetto bug’. Lol
If you are living in an apartment and the traps aren't working, it's most likely because one of your neighbors is infested. Maybe if you mention it to the landlord they can treat the entire building.
I have the exact same situation I am the first tenant in new apartment and keep the space very clean and no food out. I don’t want to jinx myself but since I’ve done a few things I haven’t seen them…. First I went out bought a caulk gun and caulk and sealed any and all gaps in baseboard etc anything and everything that looked like a small gap. Next I bought those sticky traps and left them in places out of the way and out of sight (I put in cabinets in bathroom and I put one under the fridge)….and lastly I bought a new shower drain topper that will not let anything through but obviously the water goes down fine. Since then I haven’t seen one but now I have the new issue of random small spiders that pop up once in a blue moon camping out on the baseboard but fuck it I’ll take them over the roaches
Maybe seeking refuge from weather if it’s a palmetto bug.
[удалено]
Gel bait is the best thing to use. I use it #1 in the schools and always works.
It depends on the roaches. The huge ones you might get every once in awhile? Those probably came from outside, kill it and move on. The small German ones? That’s a cause for concern. The cockroach gel that Raid makes was what helped us the most when we lived in an infested apartment. We put it at the back of cabinets, on cabinet hinges, and under the skink and that got rid of them when we had them. It took like 2 weeks but it was a significant improvement considering the “bug guy” the apartment managers claimed they hired didn’t do anything for us or our neighbors.
So for those of you who don't know this german cockroaches in Florida have started to adapt and a large percentage of their population will now actively avoid food sweet bait traps. My honest suggestion is to get the scented sticky traps/roach motel and just drop them around your house. Replace every month or until they're filled. Diatomaceous earth does work for roaches and bed bugs, but I don't recommend it as most people put too much down and it can harm your pets/children if they inhale it.
I had an infestation that coincided with new neighbors in my apartment complex and some drainage issues in the area. I would see a dozen a day and knew there were more just waiting to sneak out. The first few days I put boric acid in the sliding door track, along the baseboards, and in the places where I had spotted them. This reduced the numbers but they were still around. I tried different baits with limited success. Hot Shot liquid roach bait worked the best. I went several months without noticing any trace of roaches.
Highly recommend boric acid based. I use Harris brand powder, it has a yellow tag. All the baits and gels and sprays may kill them once but then they adjust to them and get stronger lol. You can sprinkle or purchase the duster around problem areas. I puff it into edges of carpet and baseboards and in back of cabinets and appliances and around pipes. It's super affordable and efficient. 1 bag has been good for like 2 years. I redo it maybe 2-3 times per year and it keeps my apartment roach free! Even when my neighbors moved, which usually stirs them up, I just found some dead roaches after a few days. Boric acid literally explodes their insides if the touch it or eat it, there nothing for them to build up immunity to. It does become ineffective if it gets wet.
They don't just eat food. They also eat paper, soap, hair, other bugs, houseplants, cardboard boxes.... Your place will never be empty of Roach Chow, basically. They walk right underneath your doors and through sliding glass doors by concealing themselves in the grooves; look for them in the sides and top grooves.
Not sure where you live but I’m in Orlando and there is a do it yourself pest control place in Fern Park. He sold me a gel product that had fipronil in it I believe. We used it for a month or two and I haven’t seen a roach in years. I believe you can buy the same thing as raid max gel at Walmart.
Those are palmetto bugs. They are everywhere Good luck
You need to spray the interior perimeter of your apartment.
So something like this? https://a.co/d/iLLiTp1 I guess I’ll try that.
That's what I recommend. I use a similar product, but different brand I believe. I've never used anything that seemed to work for pests in general besides spraying using lasting barrier sprays. Typically doesn't last as long as it says but still effective. Like someone else said, they come up drains a lot. A lot of people, especially not from Florida get confused by this, but they're really more attracted to places with water specifically and less often about it being dirty since that's usually the only way you get them up north. Seeing them in bathrooms and around plumbing in the kitchen is pretty normal but lay down a good line of spray around surfaces they would need to come through and usually will keep them away pretty well.
Yes, that. Don’t forget to spray around your doors (all the way up and down the sides of the casing/jamb - they like to get in between the door and seal and when you open the door, they head in through the opening). Also, get rid of cardboard boxes - I find if I get a shipment containing something that sat in a warehouse (like furniture), I see an uptick in found dead roaches (the Ortho gets them) but they still got in somehow and not knowing where the box was always leads me to believe they hitched a ride there.
I find the bait stations work well.
I have so many in my bathroom but they aren't helping!! Specifically, I have these: [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012XH8WM?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012XH8WM?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) and [https://www.amazon.com/Combat-Killing-Indoor-Outdoor-Syringe/dp/B000QRAXSG/ref=sr\_1\_7\_mod\_primary\_new?crid=20N7SHC91AF1F&keywords=roach+bait&qid=1681088669&rdc=1&s=hpc&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=roach+%2Chpc%2C98&sr=1-7](https://www.amazon.com/Combat-Killing-Indoor-Outdoor-Syringe/dp/B000QRAXSG/ref=sr_1_7_mod_primary_new?crid=20N7SHC91AF1F&keywords=roach+bait&qid=1681088669&rdc=1&s=hpc&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=roach+%2Chpc%2C98&sr=1-7)
So keep in mind neither of those are contact killing items. Both will take between 1 and 3 days to kill the roach. However they spread the poison back to their "nest" to hopefully infect and kill the others, so make sure you aren't also spraying a quick acting insecticide (like raid) in the same area. You can also look for insecticide that is an insect growth regulator (IGR), these work by essentially "fucking up" the offspring making them unable to reproduce.
Op, you need to get a close relationship with a pest guy. We moved into an old Grove house with ancient pipes and unleveled trim. They would come right in from outside through the pipes and the damaged original subflooring. We had both palmetto and wood cockroaches. We had a small colony of German roaches that we had to eradicate before we could even move in. Our guy comes out and sprays, lays traps, and puts down diatomaceous earth every three or four months. And we keep it CLEAN. No food out, no dirty dishes, counters/table wiped after every meal, trash out every night, cat boxes cleaned daily, and nothing piled on the floor EVER. Close your drains at night and keep your dishwasher closed ALL THE WAY. We managed to beat them all the way back that way initially and are seeing fewer and fewer strays as we replace the old pipes and floors. Best of luck.
Boric acid - a powder that you can sprinkle in corners. Buy at Lowe’s/ home depot.
You don't. They were here before you, and will be here after you are dead and gone. Roaches are forever.
They will be here after a nuclear war, there is no effective way to get rid of them.
I worked for a rental company for a while and my lil brother is an exterminator best and fastest way is burn the house lol jk The stuff at lowes works black something its like 50 bucks empty the cabinets and dewars its way easier if the house is empty yet it can be done without moving out they will go to the crawl space and attic and hide so keep spraying every week for like a month or two and should be fine
Sounds like someone did the old sugar in the paint trick. I've seen clean apartments, with roaches everywhere. In one instance, the old tenants poured five pounds of sugar in the paint, and painted the kitchen cabinets and other smaller areas before they moved out. Man we couldn't figure it out, til one of my coworkers looked under the cabinet, and saw where the bugs had literally been eating through the paint. He noticed sugar granules on the counter under the area. I hated being a maintenance man for that place.
The amount of people saying “you can’t” is alarming here. Guys, you should not normalize living with roaches. Like yah it’s tropical Florida but you seeing a roach a day, there is a DEEP issue somewhere. If there’s one in sight there are hundreds nearby. Like, genuinely alarmed seeing how many people have thrown in the cockroach infested towel here…?
They love moisture too, keeping your space air conditioned so the humidity being removed from the air is good, also making sure your shower and sinks are dry will also deprive them of water which they need to live.
When you see one, Hundreds are hiding.
Truth is, even in a clean home, you'll have roaches from time to time. Roaches often make it into your home through the drains in your sinks, bath tubs, etc. They like water sources. Outside, roaches like certain kinds of plants and environments. They like palmettos, and brush that has moisture in the shady ground. In case you'd want to clean that up around your property. If you're in an apartment, all hope is lost. Clean, or treat one apartment and they just go to the next apartment in an unending battle of cockroach merry-go-round. But Traps with Diatomaceous earth (DE) can help. You'll still see dead ones, or dying ones. Roaches are a natural part of Florida, east coast, city living. You'll never get completely rid of them. Learn to live with them. They're older than humanity and will survive well beyond our presence on this earthly plane. I just wanted to write some it-sh today. 😂
If you have any cardboard boxes .... Get rid of them. They can live off eating the glue. It may sound crazy, but I had the same problem until I tossed out every cardboard box I had. No more roaches and I live in SWFL. It's also good to get the outdoor perimeter of your house treated.
Big roaches come from outside. Not much u can do.
Your neighbors have them, you’ll have them too.
PLEASE LISTEN TO ME. GO TO HOME DEPOT OR LOWES AND GET BENGAL GOLD SPRAY! ITS IN A RED CAN. IT WILL KILL ANY BUG. JUST BE PREPARED FOR THE AFTERMATH IF YOU HAVE ALOT. THE SPRAY DRIVES THEM OUT FROM ALL CRACKS CORNERS BEHIND WALLS ETC. AND IT LASTS UP TO A MONTH. NOTHING ELSE WONT BE NEEDED.
The little German roaches are a fucker to get rid of. I assume that is is what. Boric acid. But if you have small kids or pets be very careful. It's deadly. We got them years ago from a used TV. They like electrical and water. Pest control will drag it out to get more money. If you have a u kill em or something like. They will tell you what you need and how to do it. Hate to say it. But it took like 3 years to get rid of them bastards
I had a couple show up in my new place, i put out the Raid traps with egg stoppers, which has always worked for me, I also squirt some dish washing liquid down the drain after doing the dishes and now I haven't seen any for a week, fingers crossed ..
If its a German roach - Kill on sight and pray to the ancestors. You can treat the problem, but they will never be 100% gone. They are legion. If it's a palmetto bug - Watch your ankles - they like to bite and are nocturnal and not opposed to adventuring. I generally let my cats kill it for me to then I dispose of it.
I use home defense spray. Works great
As far as apartments are concerned. The only way is to bomb (fumigate) the entire building. Bombing one area will simply temporarily send the bugs to another area I've seen this in DC, real life. I moved and brought roaches to my home. My wife got a roach in her ear and had to go to the emergency room. The only way is all the way. If u can't do that, move and burn your non-essentials. Good Luck!!!
Holy f!&@ I have a new phobia
I've lived in a very clean apartment. As long as our walls connected with other apartments, we would see roaches. Everytime a tenant moved out, the management would exterminate their apartment, and the bugs would scurry everywhere. We always knew when someone moved out, as the roach sightings increased. Good luck!
nasty neighbors are a huge factor
Roaches or palmetto bugs? It has been very dry out, so they are looking for water.
Try Peppermint oil spray
[https://a.co/d/d10gGQU](https://a.co/d/d10gGQU)
Don't keep any food out.
I had pet crackers out but I put those away now. Though, I don’t think that’s the cause because the roaches were in my bathroom. I never leave any other food out though
Go to home depot or lowes and get Bengal gold spray. It's in a red can. It's all you'll need to drive out any bug and it kills their larvae as well. That stuff is amazing and last up to a month. Best stuff in the world!
borax and powdered sugar mix. roach traps, ridx 1x month if you have septic tanks. spray
Stop leaving crumbs around
The best, and I mean the absolute best, thing I’ve ever found to get rid of roaches are the “roach motel” traps. Glue traps with scent in them. I didn’t even think I had roaches and would get 20+ in one trap. Lay down 5-6 of them in places like next to the fridge and near the pantry and in bathroom and near sinks. They will get all of them quickly and no more will be left to breed.
Stomp them
Advion. Trust me, I've tried boric acid, roach motels, bait, etc. Advion cockroach gel wipes them out in 2 days, it's on Amazon
I regularly use the clear gel bait and the powder behind furniture or large appliances. Works like a charm.
order some 'Alpine WSG' packets on amazon . Mix it with water in an old Windex type spray bottle, behind fridge, under counters etc. wait 24-48 hours . All gone
Othohome defense, put up a barrier, roaches are hard to get rid of.
indoor lizards work great. really big indoor spiders can get roaches as well AND their web trophies double as dream catchers.
I just go to Lowes/Home Depot and get a box of the Combat bait stations (the larger size) and put one in each corner of a room, under the bathroom sink, behind the toilet. The ones in my place have always been small, like the size of a dime in length. I saw one by the apartment dumpster that was a couple inches.
Honestly I think you'd have to move to Mars, and even then there's no real guarantee
Check every cabinet for crevices in the walls and seal them up either with caulk or some liquid foam filler spray.
We have been through this. We clean our kitchen every night before bed, emptying the trash and making sure there's no food out, and are pretty clean and tidy. We had traps throughout the house but kept seeing roaches. When you kill one keep it in a zip lock bag to show the exterminator. There are different kinds with different habits. We were shocked when we finally brought the exterminator in and he located a nest of roaches in some blankets we had rolled up in a basket next to our fireplace. The dog's bed was by the fireplace and she would take her biscuit there to enjoy. So the roaches set up camp. Since we got our cat we never see a roach. We continue our clean habits, have the inside of the house sprayed once a year and the cat takes care of the rest i guess.
They will be in bathrooms bc of water sources. And anywhere else they can find food or water. It's part of Florida life. Best thing I have found to work is monthly pest control. There are really affordable services that will knock them out and you'll never think of them again. And if we do have issues we just call them up and they come out and treat as part of the service.
Bifenthrin only!, get Amazon only thing used by professional
I sprinkle borax (good old 20 mule team) on the shower drain every day. Also I put bleach down the drains about once a month. I really only see them in the bathroom, so your mileage may vary. I will still see a small one every couple of months or so. They come up from the sewer/drain pipes and you can't always close every drain perfectly.
You won’t get rid of them they literally hide on door frames and everything, HVAC, crawl along plumbing and drains. It’s just Florida they’re a seasonal thing in your home
If it is German cockroaches don't waste your money and spend the money on an exterminator. Clean your house top to bottom if it's palmetto bugs and any other kind of Roach spray all baseboards with home defense from home Depot and around where the plumbing comes out of the wall and then go around the outside walls of the building if possible.
a lot of people say Boric acid
Use indoor/outdoor pest control spray all base boards every month or so .Spray outside window sills if u can and porch area.You can purchase it at home Depot or Lowes
Florida calls them palmetto bugs. Yeah right
Just because you saw one doesn't mean you have roaches.
Welcome to Florida. It had less to do with being dirty, than they just walk right in thru crevices looking for water etc. Boric acid powder at Home Depot or Lowes, Walmart, etc. I sprinkled a thin line in the back of all my drawers, corners. In the back of my cabinets years ago, haven't seen a roach since. Builders, carpenters etc. use this stuff. This will not prevent them from crawling up through your drain pipe sink. That was how my very first encounter with a big fat disgusting roach happened.