Now, I know “North Florida” is a bit of an ambiguous term. But for most I’d say that area falls between Tampa and Georgia. And you know what that area has plenty of? Cockroaches. Sure the Sunshine State is known for its weather, beaches, sand, and nature. But human beings aren’t the only creatures that enjoy such things. That’s why today we’re going to touch on north Florida roaches, the species you can expect to see, and how to tell if your home has been infested by cockroaches.
North Florida Roaches: Why are there so many cockroaches in Florida?
Down here in the Southlands I think it’s undeniable that we have a bit of a cockroach problem. Now, does it outweigh the benefits of living where it’s warm and sunny? Absolutely not! But if you ask some people, it’s a pretty bad side of living here. And the first thing you can blame is the simple reason you love the state. The climate. That’s right, like I said above you aren’t the only thing walking around that likes warm weather! When temperatures dip to freezing or below, every species of insect generally suffers a population decline. And when I was a young man, Florida would get cold enough for there to be a thin layer of frost on the ground and car when you came outside in the morning.
Unfortunately, that’s no longer really the case. In fact, I think last winter it got below 40 for maybe a handful of days all year. Because of this, cockroaches (and other pests) can breed and live without any real control to their populations. There are other reasons that roaches in the state are so bad though. North Florida roaches follow the people in. The state we’re living in now has roughly twenty two million people in it. And on top of that, you have more people moving in by the day. Combine that element with a bloated tourism industry and you can imagine how much filth that many people can make.
All of those dumpsters behind your favorite restaurants, hotels, and bars have to do something with their trash of course. And when you have multiple species that are expert at hiding, flattening themselves, hitchhiking, and infesting human homes…you end up with a roach problem like Florida’s!
Worst North Florida Roaches: how many species of cockroach live in Florida?
The long and short of this answer is…well, a lot. Florida isn’t just a big travel state, it’s a big shipping state as well. And because of this, we have not only the species of roach from this side of the world to contend with. We have pest species from Asia making Florida their homes these days! But there’s a few that really stand out when it comes to home invasions, so we’ll touch on them first.
American Cockroaches
Also mistakenly called the palmetto bug, this is a very large species of cockroach. In fact, it’s the largest cockroach species that regularly invades homes in the U.S.! The American cockroach can reach up to three inches in length, and has a distinctive yellow band around the back of it’s head. These guys prefer to live outside, however, and are mostly attracted in from lights, filth, or leaky water pipes. Get all of those fixed up and you’re more likely to see these roaches in your garden than on your kitchen counter.
German Cockroaches
Up next is a roach that, if you see one, make no bones about it. You probably have an infestation of roaches. And why do I say that? Well, the simple fact of their breeding habits is what makes these north Florida roaches such a bad pest. One female only needs to mate one time to have children for the rest of her life, as she will store the male’s semen and have roughly three hundred thousand children over the course of her life.
German cockroaches are light brown or tan in color, with two black stripes that are located immediately behind the head that run parallel to each other. The adults are small, usually an inch long to an inch and a half. And while they do have wings, you won’t see this roach flying often. They much prefer to run.
And once they’re in your home, they’re very hard to get out. These things will eat basically anything they can fit into their mouth. So go ahead and add any food in your home to their diet list. But on top of that, you will also see these guys surviving on paper products. Toilet paper, book bindings, soap, and toothpaste can all sustain a population of these roaches as well.
North Florida Roaches: How do I know when I have a cockroach infestation?
Now, let’s touch on a few ways you can tell when your home has been invaded by these pests. As with any infestation, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So let’s get into the prevention. One of the first things you’re going to want to look out for is the pest themselves. Living or dead cockroaches are a huge, flashing sign that you may have an infestation. This goes double if it’s a home invading species like the German roaches I mentioned above, as opposed to one or two smokybrown or American cockroaches.
Shed skin and egg cases are also signs of roach infestation and activity. If you see something resembling egg packets, alongside shed skin from growing bugs there’s a good chance that they’ve set up inside your home. And unfortunately, once they’re in there’s not much you can do about it. You’ll need the help of a pro.
And in all honesty, you want to go with one that uses natural methods of pest control. If you feel like you have a roach infestation in your home and would like to get professional help, give us a call at 1-800-634-1313 or visit our website insectfree.com and get yourself a free consultation with one of our trained technicians.
