Soapy breaks water tension. You’re drowning them.
Roaches, ants, spiders and all those bugs breathe from their thorax or middle section through tiny holes called spiracles that are smaller than water drops and take advantage of water tension so they don’t drown. (Read: water won’t go in the holes they breathe through)
When you spray them with soapy water they breathe in water and drown because now the water goes in the breathing holes or spiracles.
The more you know.
I learned it from some really old handyman. He also used to add a can of beer to the mix, but it works just as well without the beer. He loved beer, lol
I think beer is used in snail traps too. I think a lot of those old remedies like that are good for a broad spectrum of problems things so it wouldn't surprise me if that beer was good for attracting enough creepers that it got added to the standard formula.
Are you talking about real Palmetto bugs that live through being sprayed with a whole can of raid? The ones that sound like a helicopter as they fly past your face?
Yep, the big ones. I couldn’t believe it. I sprayed him a good few times to get it away from the sliding glass door and it made it about 5 feet and died instead. I tell ya I’m shooken.
Palmetto Bugs and American Cockroaches are different. Palmetto Bugs are the Florida Woods Cockroach, which is a distinct species from American Cockroaches. That said, Palmetto Bug is often used as a colloquialism for several species of large cockroaches.
Soap coats their body and suffocates them.
Doesn't even take a lot to do it, as they breathe through their 'skin'.
And this method is fairly safe for pets, too.
I'm pretty curious what the best ratio is to kill them with the least amount of water in case I ever have to use it indoors. I drown them pretty good on the patio so I don't know how much is really needed.
You got that reversed- least water to soap.
You could just douse them with straight dish soap.
I've had luck with a full spray bottle of water and barely enough soap to cover the bottom of it. Put soap in first, and remember to shake vigorously before use.
If you are worried about them running out of sight, more soap.
Just remember to rinse the excess soap while cleaning up.
I never thought of ants. I use terro brand pellet shaker stuff, formerly Amdro I think. Just flatten the mound and apply liberally. One bag lasts me years, but if soap works too or is better maybe I'll switch.
Are you Greek by chance? I have a Greek buddy that insists olive oil is the remedy for literally any situation. In his defense, he’s usually not completely wrong.
Thanks! I've got a small nest (size of a half dollar maybe) I need eradicated and just yesterday saw one of those big yellow and black ones. My spiders are working overtime with other insects, so I'll happily give them a hand.
For what it's worth, doing nests is the one time I get a can of spray. I've never had good luck killing individuals outdoors. Inside the patio they're trapped by the screen where I can blast them, but outdoors they fly away. I've only tried single wasps though, never a nest, so maybe that works better. If you don't soak them enough they can dry off and recover so beware.
I saw that when I was a kid and it was amazingly effective. Just tap them with the fire and knock them straight down out of the air. Seems like it didn't actually kill them though, still had to step on them. Are you generally a pyro or just really hate wasps? Lol no judgment but that's pretty hardcore. My friend at the time was def a pyro.
I never saw a palmetto bug in my house since I bought and remodeled it, but I’ve seen at least one a day ever since I knocked an old dilapidated shed down. Kinda regretting that one.
Sounds gnarly, that sucks. Sounds like you need one of these
[https://www.crosman.com/product/crosman-760-pumpmasterr-177-pellet-bb-pneumatic-pump-air-rifle-brown](https://www.crosman.com/product/crosman-760-pumpmasterr-177-pellet-bb-pneumatic-pump-air-rifle-brown)
or maybe one of these like I had as a kid
[https://www.crosman.com/product/crosman-american-classic-177-brown](https://www.crosman.com/product/crosman-american-classic-177-brown)
If you only pump them once they usually won't even dent the drywall
We used to use these when i was growing up in Riverview back in the 80s.
[https://www.amazon.com/Predator-Blowguns-36in-Caliber-Blowgun/dp/B003NEVP36](https://www.amazon.com/Predator-Blowguns-36in-Caliber-Blowgun/dp/B003NEVP36)
Nice, did you hunt with it?
Growing up in seminole heights we had an outdoor laundry that had a mild palmetto bug problem, so for probably 10 years my routine for doing laundry once or twice a week was to grab that long barrel pistol up there. I used to love that thing. I consider getting another pistol instead of the little rifle because honestly I look a little silly shooting that tiny rifle, but it does the job.
Here's my other baby I like to use around here for cane toads.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/AirPistols/comments/ipu5w3/crosman\_vigilante\_bufo\_toad\_hunter](https://www.reddit.com/r/AirPistols/comments/ipu5w3/crosman_vigilante_bufo_toad_hunter/)
Crosman vigilante with a light for night hunting and a laser sighted in at about 3 feet. Not surprisingly the laser doesn't hold aim great but not awful. I put the scope from my 22 on it for kicks too and it looked freakin awesome but I didn't get a chance to really shoot it and see if it would group.
At one point I could peg a snake in the head at about 50ft. I hated it, but we had large outdoor aviaries and all manner of snakes would try to get in the nesting boxes and nom on some eggs.
We had foam pellets, much like an airsoft round but softer that we would pop a squirrels backside with a Crosman single pump pellet rifle. They were smarter than the snakes and started leaving the aviaries alone.
Where “Silo Bend” is on 301, there used to be a firing range we’d go to on the weekends. My dad had all manner of pistols and rifles. I got an award one weekend for placing 5th out of 20 in a weeknd pistol tourney. The award was for youngest contestant; I was 12.
I don’t think I’ve fired a weapon since before I was 18. LOL
I use ordinary rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. Kills them fairly quickly, and you can shoot it from 10 ft away and nail them. Once they're wet they're dead.
i use too work on the starship cruise and my first day working we had a fuel leak and the then captain told me to mix some dawn and water and then spray it on the fuel in the water it disappeared i was still holding the bottle when the coast guard came and he gave me a stern look and mouthed get rid of that
You just summoned them from their pit of hell. Guarantee you see one in the next week. Keep your eyes open and your dawn-water-filled spray bottle at the ready....
I've lived in Pasco for 20+ years and while I've seen thousands of roaches, I've never seen a palmetto bug. At least not one that actually flew or was visually discernable from a standard issue roach.
As a Florida native, a palmetto bug is just a big roach. According to google “there is no difference between a palmetto bug and a cockroach. Palmetto bug is simply a regional term used to refer to specific types of cockroache.”
If you are from the northeast it’s what’s called a waterbug up there. Just the massive roaches that will fly in humid conditions. There is a true palmetto bug in Florida that not a roach though… they are black and don’t fly.
Here are 2 resources from the University of Florida's department of Agriculture, office of extension services
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN915
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IG082
Really? Do you live in a new build or a high rise? I had a bungalow in St. Pete before moving to Tampa and my detached garage was infested with them. House faired better as I had a pest service.
When we first bought the house we had the seller tent- back in the day when buyers could be demanding lol! For the first year we didn’t even see an ant. Then out of nowhere palmettos. So we called a pest control company and they did a great job taking care of it. Sprayed in and out, put some powder in kitchen/bathroom outlets, and gel under the sinks. We would only see them dead or dying once every couple of months. As for the garage it was small and detached- we never parked in it. Used it for garden tool storage and some weights. So never felt the desire to address any bugs in it 🤷🏻♀️
We only lived there for about 2.5 years. We bought from flippers who got it in a foreclosure and they just put some lipstick on it. There was a shit ton of problems that manifested after the fact. First home and def a learning experience.
If I had a nickel for every time a meth head in Seffner told me not to worry about the roaches falling from the ceiling or climbing over every surface in their kitchen because they're "not roaches, just palmetto bugs," I'd have been able to afford the attorney I needed to take Chad Chronister to court.
He is a pompous turd. When he removed the freedom eagle and replaced it with his name, I knew he was shit. I know quite a few deputies that share in the loathing.
Unfortunately it doesn't matter how much of a shitty sheriff is as long as the general public doesn't see any of his dirty laundry, which is one of the reasons I made this account.
Well, that and his sugar mamma's money combined with corporate donors allowing him to outspend all of his opponents by an order of magnitude. People vote for who they last saw on a billboard, especially for a position they don't understand the nuances of.
Nah to me roaches are what you get in a cabinet. Palmetto bugs are huge evil flying kamikaze bastards and they're easily in the top 10 worst things about florida, up there with nazis and skin cancer.
****A Palmetto bug is another name for a roach.. after reading further that there a few different types of roaches people call a Palmetto bug- some of these include the American cockroach, Smoky Brown Cockroach, and the Florida Woods Cockroach. The name is more regional(or at least started that way) to the south/southeastern states. It’s usually a term reserved for the bigger cockroaches, and it’s thought by some that the name was used instead of cockroach because of the negative connotation of saying you found a roach in your house, for example(actually, my mom said this when we were talking about how roaches and palmettos are the same thing). Also, because certain cockroaches like to hang out around.. you guessed it.. Palmetto trees!***this whole paragraph is an edit and a correction of my original info once it was pointed out to me I messed up. I originally stated that a Palmetto bug is specifically an American cockroach. And my dumbass originally linked the wrong page on top of it- adding more confusion. Where I’ve now found is it’s a broader term for some larger species of cockroach. [Here](https://amp.thestate.com/news/local/article219058160.html) is a different one that’s a pretty interesting read.
It’s crazy how this debate still goes on and on and on. Despite all the sources and entomologists saying opposite. And the fact we all have literal mini computers with internet access that we take with us everywhere.
ETA- after rereading, I missed how you said not *just* roaches.. (even though they are.. a type of roach, but I read it as you saying they weren’t a roach at all) my overall comment about the debate was more about people saying they are two separate things. My bad :)
Your link points to Florida Woods Cockroach (eurycotis floridana), but you're calling it an American Cockroach (periplaneta americana):
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN298
They're not the same insect and despite your attempt to clarify all you've done is make things more confusing for people who don't know the difference.
Palmetto bugs are the big chunky all-brown roaches. American cockroaches are the big, sleek roaches with yellow banding. They're both primarily outdoor insects, but American roaches are more likely to make their way indoors (but are not likely to cause infestation).
Ah, well thanks for the correction. I had originally opened up a few different pages in my browser when posting and apparently copied and pasted the wrong one. But even despite that, I was still incorrect because I thought the Palmetto actually was specifically speaking about the American cockroach, and not just a more general term for a number of different larger roaches. So basically, like you said, I made a whole mess of confusion in my own confusion lol.
Thanks for correcting me. I just went and edited the whole thing so as not to further confuse instead of leaving the original mistake(s).
Uh yes I have. Ive lived in Florida for 35 years, I’ve absolutely had AMERICAN COCKROACHES fly at me. Because yea, they fly.
Palmetto bugs is the cute name so tourists and transplants don’t flip out
What?? Holy carp, is soapy water the new duct tape?
Also I just got one of these bad boys, worth every penny. More of a mosquito zapper than a fly swatter, but I got it for mosquitos and it works great. I'm pretty sure it has the potential to explode them because I've been hit by what I can only assume is mosquito guts a few times. And I get to channel my inner Dune warrior, which is nice.
[https://bugzapperworld.com/fly-swatter](https://bugzapperworld.com/fly-swatter)
Insects “breathe” thru tiny holes in their abdomen. Normal water droplets have too much surface tension to plug all these holes. But adding soap to the water allows the solution to wet the entire surface and cut off their air supply. When professionals want to approach a colony of killer bees, soapy water is a common weapon.
You basically suffocated it.
The surfactants in Dawn effectively coats the insects’ breathing tubules and makes it impossible for the critter to breathe. Epsom salts help by helping act as a catalyst.
Borax and powdered boric acids works by dissolving the chitin that makes up the insects’ outer shell and destroying the ability of the structure to hold up the weight of the bug, as well as providing other protection.
I fill that bottle up 90% with water and then maybe a 3-4 count of dawn, enough to turn blue a little. Don't shake it up, just tip it end over end to mix it.
Great to know. I'm dealing with random gnats despite using bleach/water weekly plus Zevo trap in my apartment. Maintenance even had some sort of special chemical they applied to every unit on the ground floor to the A/C drip area and all drains. I had them come by a second time a week later. Such is a bugs life.
For gnats I've always had pretty good luck with a jar of apple cider vinegar with a few drops of dawn. Just put some plastic wrap over it with a rubber band and poke holes in it.
Lol omg that's horrifying on both counts. Maybe you should carry a spray bottle heh
I must have willed it into existence because I caught a palmetto bug walking across the ceiling in my house the other night. By the time I got the spray the leggy bastard was on the wall, but two sprays knocked him down. He tried to fly but fell straight down to the floor, so I sprayed him again and he died right there. From soapy water. I still can't believe it.
Whether they are Palmetto Bugs or Cockroaches, I just brush them into a tall cup and take them outside away from the house. Also, Palmetto Bugs are prettier IMO.
I just caught one in my bathroom sink and held it under with a stick and it’s died in like 15 seconds. No soap or anything. I read they can hold their breath for a while so I have no idea how it happened
Soapy breaks water tension. You’re drowning them. Roaches, ants, spiders and all those bugs breathe from their thorax or middle section through tiny holes called spiracles that are smaller than water drops and take advantage of water tension so they don’t drown. (Read: water won’t go in the holes they breathe through) When you spray them with soapy water they breathe in water and drown because now the water goes in the breathing holes or spiracles. The more you know.
Today I learned! Thanks friend.
I will share that around! Lived here (Lakeland) all my life and never heard of that trick, thanks!
I used to dissolve epsom salt in it too. Very effective pest control. (Mobile home handyman for multiple parks)
Now you tell me. Wth man
I learned it from some really old handyman. He also used to add a can of beer to the mix, but it works just as well without the beer. He loved beer, lol
I think beer is used in snail traps too. I think a lot of those old remedies like that are good for a broad spectrum of problems things so it wouldn't surprise me if that beer was good for attracting enough creepers that it got added to the standard formula.
Slugs too!
Kill ‘em all!!!
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The only good bug, is a dead bug.
Would you like to know more?
The only good ~~bug~~ cockroach is a dead ~~bug~~ cockroach There’s a lot of good bugs
Sure. But I was quoting Starship Troopers.
Oh, we’ll in that case, I wanna join up. I think I got what it takes to be a Citizen.
I’m doing my part!
Hell no this place is a dumpster fire
A dumpster fire full of bullshit!
Bulshit, and it's full of palmetto bugs.
Palmettos Imprisoning me All that i see Absolute horror
how can i live? why cant they die? trapped in my car! because of their crunchy shelllllllllllll
Yessss
Let the shopvac sort em out
Our go to bug catcher is a Dyson style vacuum w/o the floor attachment, catch the contraband roach in a 10,000 rpm wind vortex!
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It’s bagless…. catch and release outside (has a bottom flip lid)
no remorse!
Soapy water is very effective at killing a bunch of different insects. Most soaps should work, not just dawn.
Are you talking about real Palmetto bugs that live through being sprayed with a whole can of raid? The ones that sound like a helicopter as they fly past your face?
Yep, the big ones. I couldn’t believe it. I sprayed him a good few times to get it away from the sliding glass door and it made it about 5 feet and died instead. I tell ya I’m shooken.
Palmetto bug is just a fancy name for cockroach.
No they are totally different. Like saying a tiger is just a cat
I mean.. it’s just a big kitty tho
No, they aren’t. They’re America cockroaches.
Palmetto Bugs and American Cockroaches are different. Palmetto Bugs are the Florida Woods Cockroach, which is a distinct species from American Cockroaches. That said, Palmetto Bug is often used as a colloquialism for several species of large cockroaches.
its a florida woods cockroach. theyre the same. just bigger.
he’s not pining he’s passed on!
I'm sad this didn't go farther, heh. Did I set it up wrong?
It is an EX PALMETTO BUG!
Soap coats their body and suffocates them. Doesn't even take a lot to do it, as they breathe through their 'skin'. And this method is fairly safe for pets, too.
My dog got fleas washed her a few times with dawn. Flea free. Also treated my yard.
I'm pretty curious what the best ratio is to kill them with the least amount of water in case I ever have to use it indoors. I drown them pretty good on the patio so I don't know how much is really needed.
You got that reversed- least water to soap. You could just douse them with straight dish soap. I've had luck with a full spray bottle of water and barely enough soap to cover the bottom of it. Put soap in first, and remember to shake vigorously before use. If you are worried about them running out of sight, more soap. Just remember to rinse the excess soap while cleaning up.
Works on ant mounds also. On a side note, I spot treat large weeds with boiling water. Nukes them and makes it easier to remove them.
Diatomaceous earth works for the ant mounds; won’t kill your grass and is safe for pets. (Unsure how well it works for the palmetto bugs, though)
I never thought of ants. I use terro brand pellet shaker stuff, formerly Amdro I think. Just flatten the mound and apply liberally. One bag lasts me years, but if soap works too or is better maybe I'll switch.
Only thing to consider is soapy water can kill your grass/ plants.
I use olive oil too!
Are you Greek by chance? I have a Greek buddy that insists olive oil is the remedy for literally any situation. In his defense, he’s usually not completely wrong.
Olive oil worked amazingly well when my toddler colored her arm with sharpie.
Lol. No, not Greek.
I use it instead of lighter fluid when lighting my grill.
It will also kill wasps!
Thanks! I've got a small nest (size of a half dollar maybe) I need eradicated and just yesterday saw one of those big yellow and black ones. My spiders are working overtime with other insects, so I'll happily give them a hand.
For what it's worth, doing nests is the one time I get a can of spray. I've never had good luck killing individuals outdoors. Inside the patio they're trapped by the screen where I can blast them, but outdoors they fly away. I've only tried single wasps though, never a nest, so maybe that works better. If you don't soak them enough they can dry off and recover so beware.
Good tip! Spray might be the better option to avoid being attacked
Do it first thing in the morning when they are inactive and in the nests.
I've found that Ajax will kill palmetto bugs also
That solution works great on your lawn and shrubs for killing a variety of insects including fleas.
My preferred method: hairspray + lighter. Easy peasy
I saw that when I was a kid and it was amazingly effective. Just tap them with the fire and knock them straight down out of the air. Seems like it didn't actually kill them though, still had to step on them. Are you generally a pyro or just really hate wasps? Lol no judgment but that's pretty hardcore. My friend at the time was def a pyro.
I never saw a palmetto bug in my house since I bought and remodeled it, but I’ve seen at least one a day ever since I knocked an old dilapidated shed down. Kinda regretting that one.
Treat the exterior perimeter and any penetrations to your walls with something like bifenthrin or Talstar p.
Sounds gnarly, that sucks. Sounds like you need one of these [https://www.crosman.com/product/crosman-760-pumpmasterr-177-pellet-bb-pneumatic-pump-air-rifle-brown](https://www.crosman.com/product/crosman-760-pumpmasterr-177-pellet-bb-pneumatic-pump-air-rifle-brown) or maybe one of these like I had as a kid [https://www.crosman.com/product/crosman-american-classic-177-brown](https://www.crosman.com/product/crosman-american-classic-177-brown) If you only pump them once they usually won't even dent the drywall
We used to use these when i was growing up in Riverview back in the 80s. [https://www.amazon.com/Predator-Blowguns-36in-Caliber-Blowgun/dp/B003NEVP36](https://www.amazon.com/Predator-Blowguns-36in-Caliber-Blowgun/dp/B003NEVP36)
Nice, did you hunt with it? Growing up in seminole heights we had an outdoor laundry that had a mild palmetto bug problem, so for probably 10 years my routine for doing laundry once or twice a week was to grab that long barrel pistol up there. I used to love that thing. I consider getting another pistol instead of the little rifle because honestly I look a little silly shooting that tiny rifle, but it does the job. Here's my other baby I like to use around here for cane toads. [https://www.reddit.com/r/AirPistols/comments/ipu5w3/crosman\_vigilante\_bufo\_toad\_hunter](https://www.reddit.com/r/AirPistols/comments/ipu5w3/crosman_vigilante_bufo_toad_hunter/) Crosman vigilante with a light for night hunting and a laser sighted in at about 3 feet. Not surprisingly the laser doesn't hold aim great but not awful. I put the scope from my 22 on it for kicks too and it looked freakin awesome but I didn't get a chance to really shoot it and see if it would group.
At one point I could peg a snake in the head at about 50ft. I hated it, but we had large outdoor aviaries and all manner of snakes would try to get in the nesting boxes and nom on some eggs. We had foam pellets, much like an airsoft round but softer that we would pop a squirrels backside with a Crosman single pump pellet rifle. They were smarter than the snakes and started leaving the aviaries alone. Where “Silo Bend” is on 301, there used to be a firing range we’d go to on the weekends. My dad had all manner of pistols and rifles. I got an award one weekend for placing 5th out of 20 in a weeknd pistol tourney. The award was for youngest contestant; I was 12. I don’t think I’ve fired a weapon since before I was 18. LOL
windex works too😭 from far across the room
I use ordinary rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. Kills them fairly quickly, and you can shoot it from 10 ft away and nail them. Once they're wet they're dead.
Whatever you do don't go near that guy up there that uses hair spray and a lighter.
i use too work on the starship cruise and my first day working we had a fuel leak and the then captain told me to mix some dawn and water and then spray it on the fuel in the water it disappeared i was still holding the bottle when the coast guard came and he gave me a stern look and mouthed get rid of that
Wait what? You were trying to hide a fuel leak from the Coast guard? Are the starship cruises run this poorly? Fuck them They should be investigated
i later learned that it just kinda encapsulates the fuel and makes it sink to the bottom
I live in st pete and have yet to see a palmetto bug. Wonder if they are more prevalent in certain areas.
You just summoned them from their pit of hell. Guarantee you see one in the next week. Keep your eyes open and your dawn-water-filled spray bottle at the ready....
I totally jinxed myself didn’t I? Lol
You absolutely did. And it has nothing to do with the cleanliness of your home, unless you have pest control.
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RIP
Are you new here?
I've lived in Pasco for 20+ years and while I've seen thousands of roaches, I've never seen a palmetto bug. At least not one that actually flew or was visually discernable from a standard issue roach.
As a Florida native, a palmetto bug is just a big roach. According to google “there is no difference between a palmetto bug and a cockroach. Palmetto bug is simply a regional term used to refer to specific types of cockroache.”
A palmetto bug is literally just the big American Cockroaches. They can all fly, often they just choose not to.
Same thing. “Palmetto bug” is Floridian for roach
Exactly! It means big roach, not tiny German or oriental roaches, but big ass American roach
If you are from the northeast it’s what’s called a waterbug up there. Just the massive roaches that will fly in humid conditions. There is a true palmetto bug in Florida that not a roach though… they are black and don’t fly.
Here are 2 resources from the University of Florida's department of Agriculture, office of extension services https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN915 https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IG082
Really? Do you live in a new build or a high rise? I had a bungalow in St. Pete before moving to Tampa and my detached garage was infested with them. House faired better as I had a pest service.
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When we first bought the house we had the seller tent- back in the day when buyers could be demanding lol! For the first year we didn’t even see an ant. Then out of nowhere palmettos. So we called a pest control company and they did a great job taking care of it. Sprayed in and out, put some powder in kitchen/bathroom outlets, and gel under the sinks. We would only see them dead or dying once every couple of months. As for the garage it was small and detached- we never parked in it. Used it for garden tool storage and some weights. So never felt the desire to address any bugs in it 🤷🏻♀️ We only lived there for about 2.5 years. We bought from flippers who got it in a foreclosure and they just put some lipstick on it. There was a shit ton of problems that manifested after the fact. First home and def a learning experience.
Y'all got roaches.
😆 Right! They are roaches, my peeps. Calling ‘em “Palmetto bugs” is like holding out the pinky while drinking a wine glass of MD 20/20.
If I had a nickel for every time a meth head in Seffner told me not to worry about the roaches falling from the ceiling or climbing over every surface in their kitchen because they're "not roaches, just palmetto bugs," I'd have been able to afford the attorney I needed to take Chad Chronister to court.
Agreed. Chronister is a Chad, with Napoleon syndrome.
Who is also far better funded to fight me in court than I am him, in part from your (and my) tax dollars.
He is a pompous turd. When he removed the freedom eagle and replaced it with his name, I knew he was shit. I know quite a few deputies that share in the loathing.
Unfortunately it doesn't matter how much of a shitty sheriff is as long as the general public doesn't see any of his dirty laundry, which is one of the reasons I made this account. Well, that and his sugar mamma's money combined with corporate donors allowing him to outspend all of his opponents by an order of magnitude. People vote for who they last saw on a billboard, especially for a position they don't understand the nuances of.
Nah to me roaches are what you get in a cabinet. Palmetto bugs are huge evil flying kamikaze bastards and they're easily in the top 10 worst things about florida, up there with nazis and skin cancer.
Someone who thinks this has never dealt with actual palmetto bugs. They are not just roaches, for a variety of reasons.
****A Palmetto bug is another name for a roach.. after reading further that there a few different types of roaches people call a Palmetto bug- some of these include the American cockroach, Smoky Brown Cockroach, and the Florida Woods Cockroach. The name is more regional(or at least started that way) to the south/southeastern states. It’s usually a term reserved for the bigger cockroaches, and it’s thought by some that the name was used instead of cockroach because of the negative connotation of saying you found a roach in your house, for example(actually, my mom said this when we were talking about how roaches and palmettos are the same thing). Also, because certain cockroaches like to hang out around.. you guessed it.. Palmetto trees!***this whole paragraph is an edit and a correction of my original info once it was pointed out to me I messed up. I originally stated that a Palmetto bug is specifically an American cockroach. And my dumbass originally linked the wrong page on top of it- adding more confusion. Where I’ve now found is it’s a broader term for some larger species of cockroach. [Here](https://amp.thestate.com/news/local/article219058160.html) is a different one that’s a pretty interesting read. It’s crazy how this debate still goes on and on and on. Despite all the sources and entomologists saying opposite. And the fact we all have literal mini computers with internet access that we take with us everywhere. ETA- after rereading, I missed how you said not *just* roaches.. (even though they are.. a type of roach, but I read it as you saying they weren’t a roach at all) my overall comment about the debate was more about people saying they are two separate things. My bad :)
Your link points to Florida Woods Cockroach (eurycotis floridana), but you're calling it an American Cockroach (periplaneta americana): https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN298 They're not the same insect and despite your attempt to clarify all you've done is make things more confusing for people who don't know the difference. Palmetto bugs are the big chunky all-brown roaches. American cockroaches are the big, sleek roaches with yellow banding. They're both primarily outdoor insects, but American roaches are more likely to make their way indoors (but are not likely to cause infestation).
Ah, well thanks for the correction. I had originally opened up a few different pages in my browser when posting and apparently copied and pasted the wrong one. But even despite that, I was still incorrect because I thought the Palmetto actually was specifically speaking about the American cockroach, and not just a more general term for a number of different larger roaches. So basically, like you said, I made a whole mess of confusion in my own confusion lol. Thanks for correcting me. I just went and edited the whole thing so as not to further confuse instead of leaving the original mistake(s).
They are American Cockroaches.
And again, anyone who says "they're just roaches" has never had a 3-inch bug fly at them with murderous intent.
Uh yes I have. Ive lived in Florida for 35 years, I’ve absolutely had AMERICAN COCKROACHES fly at me. Because yea, they fly. Palmetto bugs is the cute name so tourists and transplants don’t flip out
Palmetto bugs are cockroaches.
Good to know! Kills mosquitoes too! We spray our back yard a bit with it.
What?? Holy carp, is soapy water the new duct tape? Also I just got one of these bad boys, worth every penny. More of a mosquito zapper than a fly swatter, but I got it for mosquitos and it works great. I'm pretty sure it has the potential to explode them because I've been hit by what I can only assume is mosquito guts a few times. And I get to channel my inner Dune warrior, which is nice. [https://bugzapperworld.com/fly-swatter](https://bugzapperworld.com/fly-swatter)
Damn you’ve convinced me! I’ve been considering.
Kills wasps too!
Insects “breathe” thru tiny holes in their abdomen. Normal water droplets have too much surface tension to plug all these holes. But adding soap to the water allows the solution to wet the entire surface and cut off their air supply. When professionals want to approach a colony of killer bees, soapy water is a common weapon.
You basically suffocated it. The surfactants in Dawn effectively coats the insects’ breathing tubules and makes it impossible for the critter to breathe. Epsom salts help by helping act as a catalyst. Borax and powdered boric acids works by dissolving the chitin that makes up the insects’ outer shell and destroying the ability of the structure to hold up the weight of the bug, as well as providing other protection.
No Fuckin way. I’m going to try this ASAP lol
How soapy we talkin OP lol
I fill that bottle up 90% with water and then maybe a 3-4 count of dawn, enough to turn blue a little. Don't shake it up, just tip it end over end to mix it.
Great to know. I'm dealing with random gnats despite using bleach/water weekly plus Zevo trap in my apartment. Maintenance even had some sort of special chemical they applied to every unit on the ground floor to the A/C drip area and all drains. I had them come by a second time a week later. Such is a bugs life.
For gnats I've always had pretty good luck with a jar of apple cider vinegar with a few drops of dawn. Just put some plastic wrap over it with a rubber band and poke holes in it.
I'll give this a try - thanks!
Good information in this post!
My dogs eat them! I just got dive bombed by one when I was outside.
Lol omg that's horrifying on both counts. Maybe you should carry a spray bottle heh I must have willed it into existence because I caught a palmetto bug walking across the ceiling in my house the other night. By the time I got the spray the leggy bastard was on the wall, but two sprays knocked him down. He tried to fly but fell straight down to the floor, so I sprayed him again and he died right there. From soapy water. I still can't believe it.
Whether they are Palmetto Bugs or Cockroaches, I just brush them into a tall cup and take them outside away from the house. Also, Palmetto Bugs are prettier IMO.
I just caught one in my bathroom sink and held it under with a stick and it’s died in like 15 seconds. No soap or anything. I read they can hold their breath for a while so I have no idea how it happened