Thinking of moving to the sunshine state? Well, get in line! Florida boasts a population of roughly twenty-two million, and that number is only growing by the day. And if you’re coming from another state with a different environment, you probably have some questions. Specifically, you probably have questions about our bugs. That’s why today, we’re gonna answer one of the most common questions people have before moving to a tropical state. Are the roaches bad in Florida?
Are the roaches bad in Florida?: Overview
If you’ve lived in Central Florida around the Tampa area for a while, you’ve seen many bugs in your life. But you may have also noticed that they’re getting worse as a native. Well, it’s honestly the case. The bugs in Florida have always been a fact of life. But the recent environmental changes affecting the globe have gotten rid of one of the greatest weapons Floridians used to have against bugs: the cold.
When it’s cold outside, bugs either die or go into torpor-like hibernation states. But unfortunately, almost every year since 2016 has seen record-breaking heat for central Florida. This means that those bugs that used to be called “summer bugs” are now year-round nuisances. Mosquitoes, for example, are now present twelve months of the year in Florida, so don’t expect to be enjoying that porch without a high powered fan or a tiki torch any time soon!
Rainfall is another reason that bugs love this state so much. Florida is a very rainy state, and hurricanes create conditions where roadside puddles can last for up to a month. This is one of the reasons that the bugs are so bad, as plenty of parasites and pests need water to breed.
Also, the large tracks of swampy and wooded areas are great for bug populations. Swamps, woodlands, and even a properly tended garden is a much more moist and substantially cool place. That’s why the bugs love these places, and they go there to breed, live, and eat.
But today, let’s focus on the roaches for now.
How big are florida cockroaches?
Well, let’s get into the meat of the matter right. You wanna know are the bugs bad in Florida? Well, we’ll start with one of the worst. Cockroaches!
If you’ve felt southern sunshine on your skin, there’s a good chance you’ve come across a roach at least once in your life. Almost everyone far enough south has had the experience of flicking on a kitchen light only to see something skitter away under the fridge. But in Florida, it’s a whole new ballgame. Because for one, if you aren’t from the south get ready to meet the heavyweight king of American cockroaches.
The American cockroach is quite often misnamed as the “palmetto bug” due to just how large and scary it can be. However, that is a different roach that we’ll cover further down in this article. The American cockroach is a beast, reaching up to THREE INCHES in length and granting it the title of one of the largest pests in the state. They’re reddish brown in coloration and have six spiny legs and very long, thin antennae. The worst part about this however might be the fact that they have a long, dark, strong pair of wings.
And they’re not afraid to use them in an escape situation either! They’re not strong fliers, however, and tend to crash into people just as often as they get away. Thankfully, these are mostly outdoor pest. They prefer to live in places like wood piles, mulch, and storm drains. American cockroaches love to eat decaying woody material, so if they’re inside it’s likely more for shelter than for food.
What is a florida palmetto bug?
So, if an American cockroach isn’t a palmetto bug, what is? Well, the palmetto bug is actually the Florida woods cockroach. They’re known mostly for their squat, beetle like looking and stinky odor.
These bugs are dark brown with a reddish hue and grow to about an inch and a half in length. Florida woods roaches are wingless and stout, almost appearing like an armored vehicle when viewed from above since it’s so small and compact.
Thankfully, these guys aren’t really home infesters either. Instead, they love gardens and wood piles. That’s because they feed on fallen plant material and decaying logs. They may also be the only cockroach species that prefers to live up high. Because of this, you’ll often find them in palm trees or hanging out in the eaves of your roof. Are the bugs bad in Florida? Yes. But these guys, honestly, are a little neat in my opinion.
They’re not well adapted to living inside, so they don’t really pose the same threat as say, the next contender on our list. They’ll really answer your question Are the roaches bad in Florida.
German Cockroaches
And the final cockroach we’ll cover today is the German cockroach. This is the most destructive species you’ll in the state, and maybe everywhere. It is an indoor, domestic roach that literally cannot live outside of human habitation.
They’re the smallest roaches you’ll see down in the sunshine state. Sounds good right? Wrong. These bugs are light brown or tan with small, nearly useless wings and two dark, vertical stripes behind its head. And the young don’t have wings.
Once indoors, this pest will multiply out of control. They love dark and damp spaces, so the state’s humidity combined with the drippy faucet under your sink pretty much marks most Florida homes as potential colonies. They breed quickly, feed on the wood in your home, and track germs everywhere they go. This is a very serious pest species.
Are the roaches in Florida bad: Conclusion
Look, the reality of the situation is that at some point while you living in Florida you’ll have a pest problem. And there’s a good chance that it’s going to be roaches. So if you see one or two, expect that there may be a few hundred in the walls and contact a pest control specialist as soon as you can. Otherwise, the problem will simply continue to spiral out of control. Roaches are not the species for a layman to deal with.
