People tend to know one or two things about most states. New York is known for its lights and its crowds. Montana its mountains and ranches. Texas? Cowboys and steaks! And though the answers you get on Florida may be pretty varied, there’s usually one constant- bugs and roaches! So today, let’s talk about 2024 Tampa cockroaches and ways you can keep them out of your home or business!
2024 Tampa Cockroaches: Why are the bugs such a problem in Florida?
Florida is uniquely situated as a state to get just about as many bugs as you possibly can. For one, our climate is incredibly friendly to insects. Most insects aren’t endothermic, meaning they can’t make their own heat. Because of this, when the weather gets cold or the temperature drops low enough that water can freeze, bugs will go dormant or die. And there used to be a time in Florida that this would happen. Back in the day, winter mornings with frost on the ground weren’t all that uncommon. However, that’s not the case these days. The bugs are here to stay.
Another factor in the boom in population we’re seeing from 2024 Tampa cockroaches is the fact that that human populations are booming. Where you have people you have new houses, new construction, and torn down forests and swamps. And when those go, the bugs need to find a place to run and hide. But on top of their environment vanishing, they get a new one in the form of dumpsters and human habitation.
If you think a cockroach is going to turn its nose up at a new place to live, think again. These opportunistic pests are the ultimate survivors. And they have no qualms about crawling up out of grass that was once a swamp and flooding into your home to spread. And with that said, let’s get into some of the most common home infesting species of roach you’ll find in Florida.
2024 Tampa Cockroaches: What kind of roaches are common in Florida?
Well, quite a few. Because of our climate and our position in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida is a hub for trade. And if you know anything about how animals and bugs get spread invasively, you’ll know that trade and travel are the number one and two reasons this happens. So let’s touch on some of the many invasive pests you’ll find creeping and crawling in the dark.
American cockroach
Up first is one of the most drastic pests that I hope you never have the misfortune of seeing in your home. Often mislabeled as the palmetto bug, it is the humble American cockroach. This is the largest species of roach in the United States and one of the biggest bugs you’ll ever see walking around your house. They’re big and brazen, with mahogany brown shells and a half circle of yellow on the backs of their heads. Adults in this species range from about one and a half to two inches usually, but large ones can reach three inches in length! And these roaches tend to sprint in random directions when startled, which can oftentimes lead to them barreling straight towards you.
On top of that, American cockroaches have fully developed wings as adults. What does that mean? Well, this is one of few roach species perfectly capable of flight as an adult. It’s not an uncommon story in Florida. A warm summer night, you’re cooking up some grub in the kitchen and decide to open a window for some air. Then you hear a noise. Like a helicopter, almost. The next thing you know- a giant cockroach is whirling around your kitchen in the air almost flying into your head! Situations like that will absolutely have you running for 2024 Tampa cockroaches help!
Thankfully, these cockroaches don’t tend to infest the indoors too often. Mostly, they wander in looking for food and drink and get trapped. Doesn’t make them any less shocking to see, however!
German cockroaches
Up next we have a truly invasive and nightmarish pest. The German cockroach is ubiquitous with human settlement, unfortunately. These roaches are smaller, rarely reaching over an inch in length. And you can recognize them pretty easily thanks to their yellow coloration and the two dark parallel stripes that run down the backs of their shells.
These cockroaches are so invasive and pesky that it’s a question of whether they even exist in the wild anymore. They live almost exclusively in and around human dwellings. Not only that, but this member of the 2024 Tampa cockroaches crew is a globetrotter. German cockroaches can be found on every continent on the planet except for Antarctica!
The truly insidious part about these roaches is their ability to breed. These cockroaches only need to mate once in their life to have over two hundred children in their lifetime! That means that a single German cockroach that slips its way into your home if it’s a pregnant female, can become a whole infestation by itself!
2024 Tampa Cockroaches: What to do about roaches in my home?
First thing’s first, you have to clean up. Roaches love a messy, cluttered home. Because of this, you need to reduce waste that they can feed on to create more bugs that will be a real problem! Make sure to sweep up, clean up, and deal with anything that leaves crumbs, food, water, or any kind of moisture on the phone. Leaky pipes, cardboard boxes, all things that need to be dealt with to keep the numbers down.
However, a cockroach infestation isn’t just going to go away because you clean. This is nature’s ultimate survivor, and they’ll make it work one way or another. If you really want to get rid of this pest, you have to have the help of a professional. That’s why you should trust us over at Earth’s Best to help you! Visit our website and call the listed number or fill out the pop-up on the home screen for a free consultation today!
