Here in Florida, we have a lot to be thankful for. Most of the year, we have warm, sunny weather and clear skies. But humans aren’t the only creatures that love this about the sunshine state! No sir, the bugs do too! So today, we’ll touch on one of the most common indoor pests you’ll run across in Florida. And not only that, but we’ll dig into their behavior a bit and discuss why roaches come out at night.
Why Roaches Come Out At Night: Explaining this behavior
You’ll typically find cockroaches inside your house in dark, warm areas. Moist spaces only make things more inviting for them. That’s why hotels and restaurants are often breeding grounds for infestations. Most cockroach species hide in dark, secluded areas during the day. You may find them behind furniture and appliances when the sun is out. As well as under your fridge and in stoves and cupboards. Cockroaches are capable of flattening themselves to almost the width of a coin! So tight spaces are no barrier to these pests.
Roaches are nocturnal insects, meaning they come out at night. When the lights are out, roaches can easily avoid noticed by humans and other predators in the house. And with free reign and an appetite for everything from dish soap to cardboard, they’re able to exploit that time to its fullest.
Roaches are social insects as well. They live and forage in groups. Cockroaches emit pheromones that leave chemical odors in their feces and on their bodies. These pheromones serve as means of communication for the insects. The pheromone odor causes the roaches to cluster together in a harborage area.
Why Roaches Come Out At Night: Roach Overview
At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter why roaches come out at night. Unfortunately, once you’re in a home with cockroaches you can pretty much expect an infestation. And let’s touch on some basics on how to identify them, just in case you’ve been living under a rock.
These pests can be over two inches in length, with tropical Florida species being larger. Cockroaches have six legs, and two antennae, and most have wings- whether or not they can use them. They have flat, oval shaped bodies and are oily to the touch. They’re better, as I said above, at hiding than you are at finding them. Their eggs are naturally going to be protected from your pest control efforts as well, as they lay them in secluded and protected areas.
And now that we know some of the basics, let’s touch on some of the species you may run into as a Florida homeowner.
American Cockroach
We’re going to go from least to most likely to infest your home on this list. And even though you won’t find many of these in your house at once, hopefully, it’s still possible. This is the American Cockroach, often mistakenly called the palmetto bug. It’s the largest species of roach in North America, with adults reaching over three inches in length. They’re reddish brown or the color of mahogany. The areas just behind their heads are outlined with a band of yellow.
And just in case a three inch cockroach wasn’t enough, it gets better. You may even be grateful for whatever reasons why roaches come out at night! And that’s because these babies can fly. That’s right, male and female American cockroaches have usable wings. In fact, that’s probably why they ended up in your home in the first place. Thankfully, this species is more of an outdoor insect than an indoor pest.
However, they are attracted to lights. So leaving your windows open at night in Florida is basically impossible. If not for the mosquito swarms, then the non-zero chance that one of these massive roaches opens up its wings and flies straight into your kitchen lamp! But they’re most common in shady, humid areas. Flowerbeds, under trees and porches, and sewers and other drainage systems.
Oriental Cockroaches
Next on our list is an invasive species. These are oriental cockroaches, and they’re about twenty five millimeters long at the max. Their wings are three-quarters the length of their body. Because of this, thankfully, this roach species is unable to fly. They’re dark, shiny, and reddish-brown in coloration.
Oriental cockroaches are pest invader that most frequently gains entry beneath the thresholds of doors, through open doors or gaps beneath siding, and even following utility lines, pipes, open drains or sewers into a structure or home.
German cockroaches
Alright, these guys are the real star of the show. When it comes to punching above their weight class, you have to talk about the German cockroach. This is the single most numerous species on earth because it infests human dwellings more than any other roach species. Not only that, but they’re breeding machines. One female can have thousands of offspring in her life. And the real kicker is that she only has to mate once in her entire life to produce offspring for the rest of it. Don’t worry about why roaches come out at night, worry that they’re there at all if you have a German Cockroach problem!
To identify these, look out for their stripes. This roach is light brown to tan, with two dark, almost parallel stripes located on its back, just behind its heads.
What to do about a cockroach infestation?
Unfortunately, once this pest has infested your home you have to contact a pro. Especially one that uses natural methods, as their quick breeding and natural toughness make them resistant to many types of chemical controls.
While you wait for a pest control specialist to arrive, however, be sure to practice cleanliness as best you can. Sealing garbage, cleaning and putting away dishes, and vacuuming once a week can all have great effects on keeping their numbers down in your home. On top of that make sure to clean up any water spills, and check for any leaky pipes or easy access routes into your home. If they’re not in your house, there’s really no need to wonder about why roaches come out at night. So stay on top of it!
