Down here in the sunshine state we may have a little bit of a roach problem. But, you could probably say the same for the rest of the southeast. Florida is unique in that its cockroaches get…rather large. Sure, we do have our little critters that you can barely see when you turn on the light and they skitter away. But that’s not what we’re covering today. No sir, we’re going to cover something a bit bigger. Today, we’re talking about Florida’s Largest Cockroaches.
Florida’s Largest CockRoaches: The “Palmetto Bug”
If we’re going to start this thing off right, let’s start big. When you ask someone from Florida what their least favorite bug is, the answers are usually pretty universal. Their first choice is probably going to be a mosquito. But after that, nine out of ten folks down here will tell you that their least favorite bug is the palmetto bug. This is just a local name, though, because the species is simply called the American cockroach. It’s a nickname more than anything. This nickname comes from the fact that they like to hide under the big old leaves of the palmetto trees, a type of palm.
In fact, down here in the swamp you’ll find it called by many different names. These include the waterbug, flying waterbug, Bombay canary, flying cockroach, and southern cockroach. But these are usually misnomers, as this bug isn’t aquatic and not a very good flier at all.
These roaches are reddish-brown in color, and about an inch and a half long. These are the biggest roaches that will actively invade your home. And like I said earlier, people often think they’re being attacked by these insects due to their attempts to fly. The issue is, these bugs almost never bite. They fly towards sources of light and aren’t very good at it, which is why they end up in your face even if they don’t mean to.
Our swampy, sunny climate is perfect for these roaches. If you leave your home unoccupied for any real amount of time, there’s a good chance these fellas will move in right under your nose. And once inside, you’re certainly going to need a pro to get them out.
Smoky Brown Cockroaches
Coming in on number two of our list of Florida’s largest roaches in the Smoky Brown cockroach. Adults reach about 1.4 inches in length, just a little bit smaller than the all famous palmetto bug. But they have a shiny appearance and are uniformly black and mahogany. If they crouch down in a batch of leaf litter you’re likely not to see them at all due to their coloration.
These pests are usually found on the ground floor levels of your home. Some of the more common things that attract them inside are leaky sinks and standing water. You can also lure them to your place by leaving wood stacked up against your home, exposed trash for them to eat, or sewer openings like large floor drains.
Like the American cockroach, this bug is attracted by interior lights during the night time. That’s when you’ll mostly find them trying to enter your home through gaps in windows, doors, or walls.
This roach prefers to eat decaying plant matter but will seek out and consume any available food source. This includes animal dung, dead bodies, and even younger roaches of the same species.
Florida’s Largest Cockroaches: The Woods Cockroach
This is yet another roach given another name by the locals. The Florida woods cockroach is commonly referred to as the stinking cockroach due to their ability to spray a stinking chemical.
They’re black and appear wingless, but they do in fact have small wings. They’re one of the slowest moving species of roaches.
When threatened by predators, this roach releases a foul-smelling liquid. They can only spray this cocktail of chemicals once every 30 days or so. And not only does it stink, but if you get it into your eyes or on your skin, it can actually cause a small amount of harm. But this roach is more than just a shower, as it can spray accurately nearly 10 feet away from their bodies.
Another “fun” fact about this pest is that they’re fairly long-lived. If one of these things gets into your home, you can expect it to be kicking around for over a year and a half. Also, due to their slow speed, they won’t quite scatter like other roach species when you turn on the light and catch them in the kitchen, which can honestly be a little bit intimidating to witness.
This roach feeds primarily on decomposing plant matter and, usually isn’t an infestation problem. Florida woods cockroaches can be brought inside on firewood. Also, they may enter through open windows or doors. Inside homes, these insects can be found in bathrooms or basements and are attracted to leaking pipes.
Florida’s Largest Cockroaches: Australian Cockroach
Australian cockroaches are similar in appearance to the palmetto bug.
but they are smaller, rarely growing larger than 1.25 inches in length. They are a reddish-brown with yellow markings on the top of their head and the front edge of each wing. Both males and females have wings that extend to the tip of their abdomen.
Greenhouses are one of the more common inside locations you could find Australian cockroaches, along with sinks, toilets, and other dark, humid and warm areas. Outdoors, Australian cockroaches prefer to live under tree bark, in piles of firewood and other locations that are moist and sheltered. They feed primarily on plant material, but inside the home will feed on starchy materials.
Asian Cockroach
Asian cockroaches appear identical to the German variety but have slightly longer wings.
They were originally found in Asia but have spread significantly and can now be found throughout the southeastern U.S., including Florida.
Adult Asian cockroaches are brown in color with two darker parallel bands running lengthwise behind their head.
They are most active at dusk and fly long distances toward sources of light.
You may see an Asian cockroach attracted to your television screen or perched near lamps and other sources of illumination. However, infestations are rare occurrences.
No matter if you are in need of cockroach management in Orlando or Tampa cockroach control, we have you covered. Call us today.