[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”2px||7px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”1px||4px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” custom_margin=”|auto|-2px|auto||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font_size=”18px” custom_margin=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Other names for cockroaches in Florida include croton bugs, water bugs, and palmetto bugs. At least 69 different cockroach species may be found in the United States. In the wild, cockroaches eat rotting organic waste and act as decomposers. However, it’s an issue when they come into contact with people, whether it be by invading gardens and lawns or by getting inside of homes and other buildings. Roach problems can also spread illnesses like Salmonella and destroy books, clothing, and food.

Cockroaches in Florida secrete an oily substance with a foul stench. In addition to what appears to be clean dishes, this smell can also linger on food and clothing. Excrement, which might appear as pellets or a liquid with the consistency of ink, is mostly to blame for this revolting odor. Allergens include cockroach skin flakes, feces, and other parts including antennae and legs. These allergens can cause a variety of symptoms in sensitive persons, from a slight rash to anaphylaxis and even death. Keep reading to learn more about preventing roach problems and how you can control active roach problems.

It can seem like no matter how thoroughly you clean your home, cockroaches will find a way in. If you’re wondering where the roaches are coming from in your clean home, click here!

 

Different Types of Roaches

The most prevalent household cockroaches in and around Florida homes include Florida wood roaches, smokybrowns, Americans, Australians, Germans, and Asians. The three smallest cockroach species, the German, Asian, and brownbanded, all have almost the same size adults and rarely grow larger than 5/8 inches (16mm).

The four bigger species of cockroaches—American, Australian, brown, and smokybrown—measure between 1.1-2.4 inches (31-61 mm) in length and are also known as palmetto bugs. Despite the fact that they flourish outdoors, if they can make a way inside, they can still cause issues.

The largest cockroach in the world, the Florida woods roach, is another common invader. Even though cockroaches found outdoors do not perform well in enclosed spaces, there is a propensity for people to overreact when they see them indoors. Cockroaches can frequently be controlled by simply limiting their access to the house in the first place.

The Asian cockroach resembles the German cockroach in appearance but is able to fly. In the wild, Asian cockroaches are attracted to the light from nearby structures. They will be attracted to the porch lights and use those to find their way inside. However, just like other outdoor cockroaches, their chances of survival inside are low.
 

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”http://www.ondemandpestcontrolusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/American-Cockroach-Closeup-scaled.webp” title_text=”American Cockroach Closeup” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

American Cockroach

About

The palmetto bug is a common roach in Florida’s tropical climate and is well-known to anyone from the South. Although “American cockroach” has a kinder ring to it, it is nonetheless the same intimidating insect. This large insect can cause problems with properties.

Appearance

The American roach is among the greatest pests in Florida, due to its size (between 2 and 3 inches). If you turn on the lights and notice a large, brownish-red bug running for cover beneath the refrigerator, it’s probably an American cockroach.

There are six spiky legs, slender hairlike antennae, and long, dark wings that it occasionally (and awkwardly) uses.

One of several species of flying roaches found in Florida, the American cockroach has the uncanny ability to startle even lifelong Floridians when it unexpectedly flies in your direction.

Habits

Peridotid pests, American roaches prefer the outdoors, specifically dark, damp areas such as wood piles, mulch, dumpsters, and storm drains. However, they are also capable of thriving in the home. They eat garbage, fragments of food, and decomposed organic matter.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”http://www.ondemandpestcontrolusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Florida-Woods-Roach.webp” title_text=”Florida Woods Roach” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||-1px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”13px” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Happy1892, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Florida Woods Cockroach

About

The Florida woods cockroach, which looks like a little beetle, has a notoriously offensive defense mechanism: a strong odor it emits to scare away potential enemies. You’ll quickly learn why they’re called “stink roaches” if you uncover even a few of these pests in your bathroom or closet.

Appearance

The Florida wood roach, at around 1.5 inches in length, is a dark brown with a reddish-mahogany tinge. It lacks wings and is stocky like a little, stinky, armored beetle.

You can sometimes see yellowish stripes running down their bodies. They don’t have wings, therefore it’s easy to tell them apart from American roaches.

Habits

Foraging on dead leaves and rotting wood, these detritivores are often found making their homes in gardens and woodpiles. They also populate the eaves of your roof and the palm trees around your home.

Florida homeowners frequently find dozens of these insects in hidden colonies in the mulch or beneath rocks outside their homes.

Because of their poor adaptations for life indoors, they do not present the same danger as the American or German roach. They may cause some unpleasant odors and wake you up around 2 in the morning, but they probably won’t multiply to epidemic proportions inside.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”http://www.ondemandpestcontrolusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Smokybrown-Cockroach.webp” title_text=”Smokybrown Cockroach” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”13px” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Smokybrown Cockroach (Matsudo, Chiba, Ja” (CC BY 2.0) by t-mizo

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Smokybrown Cockroach

About

Cockroaches of the smoky brown variety are among the most common flying roaches found in Florida. They will flit around your patio lights and soar through the palm fronds to your roof in search of a warm, damp, and secure spot to raise their young.

Appearance

These roaches are a mahogany brown, which is much darker than the brown of American roaches. Comparatively smaller than the preceding two species, at around 1 inch in length, and sporting shorter, more curled antennae. They’re slimmer and glossier than the Florida wood roaches.

The smokybrowns don’t have any tan or yellow spots. When folded, their long wings extend well beyond their body.

Habits

Smokybrowns can fly and will use their wings to crash into trees, gutters, and pots. These roaches build their nests in odd places, such as under shingles and inside water meter boxes. They frequently pick places that are high up and shielded from the wind and rain.

Own a home with a usable attic? Infestations of smokybrown roaches have the potential to be disastrous.

Also, these winged roaches have a powerful attraction to artificial light. If you find one inside your home, it most likely got in through an open window while you were sleeping.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”http://www.ondemandpestcontrolusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/german-cockroach-scaled.webp” title_text=”german cockroach” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.18.1″ _module_preset=”default” width=”90%” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

German Cockroach

About

The German cockroach stands out among Florida’s many roach species as the most harmful. And the fact that it can only be found in homes makes it much more annoying.

Appearance

It is the smallest roach you’ll encounter in Florida, measuring at approximately half an inch in length. The wings of these bugs are a pale brown or tan, and there are two dark vertical stripes along the cowl-shaped area behind the insect’s head.

Did you spot a little, wingless roach? Possible infant German cockroach. The molted exoskeletons will be laying nearby, and the dark stripes down its back can help you locate it. Cockroaches reproducing at an alarming rate are a negative sign.

Habits

Due to the fact that they are mostly an indoor species, once German cockroaches have established themselves in your home, they will quickly proliferate to an unmanageable number. Garages and crawl spaces are ideal habitats for them due to the high humidity levels found across the state, which also appeals to their preference for the dark and damp.

The German cockroach, like the other species we’ve mentioned, prefers the darkness of night and the backyard barbecue. When someone comes in for the cheese plate and turns on the light, a tiny German roach is already there. Yuck.

German roaches in Florida can show up anywhere and at any time, which is in stark contrast to their behavior in colder climates, where they require artificial heat to survive indoors.

 

Cockroach Life Cycle

There are three stages in a cockroach’s life cycle: egg, nymph, and adult. The ootheca is a leathery case or capsule into which cockroaches deposit their eggs en masse. Immediately after formation, the female will either drop or glue this capsule to a surface. However, until the eggs are ready to hatch, the female German cockroach will keep the capsule protruding from her body. While the German cockroach capsule can hold up to 48 eggs, other cockroach capsules may only contain 10 to 28 eggs.

Nymphs are born without wings and go through several skin sheddings (molts) before maturing into winged adults. The outdoor species of German and brow banded cockroaches may take up to a year to mature from egg to adult, but they may have multiple generations per year.

 

Where Do Cockroaches Live?

Cockroaches spend the daytime in their hiding places and emerge at night to forage for food. Inside, they can be found in the following locations: 

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ custom_padding=”13px||2px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” type=”1_2″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” type=”1_2″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”http://www.ondemandpestcontrolusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Pest-Control-in-Bathroom-w-Chris.webp” alt=”Getting Rid of Roaches in Florida Bathroom” title_text=”Pest Control in Bathroom w Chris” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” width=”74%” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” custom_padding=”3px|||||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” type=”4_4″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

The German cockroach can be found anywhere in the house, but it is most common in the kitchen and the bathroom. Other types of cockroaches are more at home in dark, damp places like sewers, attics, and storerooms; they enter homes from these outside breeding grounds.

Leaf litter, mulch, beneath vegetation, tree holes, and palm trees are all good places to find roach problems in the wild.

How To Get Rid of Roaches

If you want to get rid of roach problems for good, you should use an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. The use of chemicals alone is ineffective as a management strategy. Chemicals alone can lead to insect resistance and poor management.

For effective cockroach control, homeowners can either implement an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy on their own or hire a pest control service. Professionals can do a better job because they have access to tools and resources that average consumers don’t have. If hiring a professional pest controller is something you’re considering, it’s a good idea to compare prices from several companies.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” column_structure=”1_2,1_2″][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” type=”1_2″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]

How to Prevent Roach Problems in House

Controlling cockroaches effectively calls for a focus on hygiene and pest-proofing. Cockroach allergens, such as shed skins and excreta, can be removed with a good vacuuming. There is a chemical in cockroach feces that attracts more cockroaches to the area. Scrubbing with hot water & soap to remove the cockroach feces will reduce the amount of roach pheromone in the area, thus reducing the number of cockroaches.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” type=”1_2″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”http://www.ondemandpestcontrolusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Little-Paul-Pest-e1501460027374.jpg” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ title_text=”Little Paul Pest” align=”center”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”1px||4px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]

Exclusion; and removal of water, food, and harborage are the four main categories of prevention and sanitation. If you follow the guidelines for each of the four areas, you should be able to get rid of the main things that foster cockroach populations. 

Roach Prevention

Remove Water Sources

Cockroaches depend on water more than anything else. Without water, German cockroaches die within 12 days. However, cockroaches can survive without food for about 42 days if water is the only resource available. Cockroaches seek moisture, so they venture indoors during dry spells. The following are methods for removing potential water sources:

What Do Roaches Eat?

Although cockroaches can survive on very little food as long as they have access to water, their populations can explode if they are given a steady supply. Cockroach baits are also less effective because they face competition from human food sources. To do away with food sources, you can:

Where Do Roaches Hide?

Cockroaches need a warm, damp, dark place to hide, in addition to food and water. A cockroach’s harborage is essential to its survival. Generally speaking, cockroaches are most at home in damp, dark, and warm environments. Cockroaches prefer tight spaces like those provided by cardboard boxes, clothing piles, and structural cracks and crevices.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”http://www.ondemandpestcontrolusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/German-Roach-Droppings-scaled.webp” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ title_text=”German Roach Droppings”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]

Cockroaches need harborages for shelter, but they can also use them to avoid being sprayed with insecticides if that strategy is chosen as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) plan. To get rid of hiding places, try to do the following:

Best Way To Get Rid Of Roach Problems in Florida

Use hygienic measures of control, with chemical methods of management only as a last resort. Common roach pesticides include baits, sprays, and dusts. Cockroach foggers are widely available, but they only kill the insects that come into contact with the fog. As a result, the efficacy of foggers as a means of controlling roach problems varies and is outside the scope of this article.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ custom_padding=”||2px|||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” type=”3_5″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Types of Roach Bait

When it comes to reducing pesticide exposure while maintaining effectiveness, baits come out on top. Granular baits, plastic bait stations, and large syringes for gel applications are the most common packaging options.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” type=”2_5″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”http://www.ondemandpestcontrolusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Bayer-Maxforce-FC-1.webp” alt=”Get Rid of Cockroaches with Gel Bait” title_text=”Bayer Maxforce FC” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” width=”59%” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” custom_padding=”1px|||||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” type=”4_4″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ custom_padding=”||2px|||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” type=”3_5″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Insect Growth Regulator

IGRs take four to six weeks to start reducing roach problems. However, unlike other contact insecticides, cockroaches are unable to reproduce after being exposed, so the effects last for a much longer period of time. Adult cockroaches with twisted wings and unusual behavior are signs of exposure to IGR. Use of IGRs will likely increase the number of cockroaches visible during daylight hours. Cockroach abundance after IGR application is indicative of successful treatment. The use of baits in conjunction with IGRs is possible.

 

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” type=”2_5″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”http://www.ondemandpestcontrolusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Tekko-Pro-Bottle.webp” alt=”Growth Regulator for Pests including Cockroaches” title_text=”Tekko Pro Bottle” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” width=”66%” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” custom_padding=”3px|||||”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” type=”4_4″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]

Roach Insecticide Spray

Roach Powder

Dusts take their time to work, but they can provide lasting suppression. Among the many dusts approved for use against cockroaches, boric acid is by far the most popular. Clean, dry environments indoors are optimal.

Get Rid of Indoor Florida Roaches

 

Get Rid of Florida Roaches Outdoors

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

Get Help from On Demand Pest Control 

On Demand Pest Control is a locally owned and operated company in South Florida and provides pest control and prevention solutions for both residential and commercial properties in the area. Our Florida certified expert technicians provide safe and effective roach treatments and prevention throughout Southeast and Southwest Florida. Click Here to learn more about how our pest treatments work.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]