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Florida Roaches: A Breakdown   arrow

If you’ve lived in the south you’ve probably had a run in with a roach. If you live in Florida, you likely see them a few times every week. But if you live in or around the Tampa area? You probably see multiple, every day. So today we’re going to talk about Florida roaches, where they come from, and just why there are so dang many of them! We’ll also cover some tips for excluding them from your home.

The Truth About Florida Roaches: Why are there so many in Florida?

Alright, let’s get into the nuts and bolts regarding the cockroach. Let’s start out with the simple question of why there are so many of them in the state. Well, for one, the weather is ideal for them. During the winter in Florida, it used to get cold enough for some insect populations to die off. But with recent years being the hottest on record regularly, there really is no period of time that these insects have to recede or die off. So in Florida, where maybe once a year it will get below 30 anymore, they can thrive year round.

Then you have the natural ecology of Florida. Dense, low lying shrubs, swamps, woody trees, and plenty of moisture in the air. All of these things together make for an ideal getaway for cockroaches. To put it simply, bugs thrive in Florida because of the nature of the local ecosystem and the heat.

The third thing you can add to the mix is the number of people in the state. When natural areas are damaged and replaced with things like trailers, neighborhoods, farmhouses, fields, etc, human pests tend to move in and settle over the ashes of the natural area that was destroyed. German cockroaches, for example, couldn’t even live without humans to scavenge from. They’re an entirely domesticated species of pest.

Ways to keep Florida roaches out of the house

Now, when it comes to the smaller, human specific pest species of roach you can’t really seal them out very well. They can squeeze their bodies down to incredibly small sizes and will fit through just about any crack or gap in the home. American cockroaches and Florida woods roaches, however, can end up in your home by accident. American cockroaches can fly and could end up in your home through an open window. They’re attracted to light, so if you have the light on in the kitchen at night and an open window, there’s a good chance that you may just have a bug fly into the room on you.

And when it rains, that drives bugs out of their hiding places in the garden and possibly into your home. They may try to squeeze through window frames, door gaps, or places where the rubber lining around your door has come up. So make sure to constantly check the exterior of your home. The weather, humidity, and heat will simply not stop in Florida. Because of this, regular home maintenance and inspection is required if you want to stay bug free.

Keep a constant lookout

When you bring old cardboard into your home, you need to be very careful. Remember those domestic cockroaches I mentioned earlier? Well, I was talking about the “noble” German cockroach. They behave differently from native Florida roaches and prefer indoor living. And when you get them, it’s likely from bringing an infested item indoors from the outside or someone else’s house.

These bugs love to eat, live in, and lay their eggs in paper products. Old newspaper stacks, cardboard boxes, old books, bundles of papers, etc. Things like this need to be examined closely. I’ve even heard stories of people ending up with roach infestations after a takeout delivery accidentally lead to a handful of German cockroaches in their home!

To say these guys are superspreaders would be selling it short. Honestly, if you see a german cockroach in your home, especially a dead one, it’s probably safe to assume you have an infestation at that point.

What do german cockroaches look like?

German cockroaches are some of the most common house pests in the entire world. And with how apt they are at infesting Florida homes, you’re gonna need to know what they look like! So, when you’re looking out for these pests there are a few key things to look for. For one, these are smaller than most Florida roaches. Adult German cockroaches can be recognized by their light brown to tan coloration, which is slightly brighter than the chocolate-brown native roaches. The adults have two parallel stripes that run down their back, with the females being darker overall than the males.

The nymphs are dark brown to black in coloration with the same dark stripes running down their backs. German cockroaches have wings, however, they rarely fly. Instead, these insects are extremely fast at skittering across the ground.

Look out for the German Florida roaches in a warm, humid places close to food and water. They love kitchen environments and bathrooms, so these are the most likely place to find them. Also, look out for their droppings. They appear as small pepper like materials left on countertops or in drawers. And when present in large numbers, they can make a house smell “musty”.

Florida Roaches: What do I do when I have a roach infestation?

Unfortunately, roaches are very rapidly multiplying home infesters. Once you have an infestation of any species, especially a German cockroach infestation, it’s already too late for a layman to handle the issue. The best thing to do is to immediately contact a natural pest control company, as chemical pesticides can be both harmful and ineffective if used improperly. Someone using a poison in their own home, for example, can underdose and create poison-resistant or even immune roaches within a few short generations!

Instead, give us a call at 1-800-634-1313 or visit our website to schedule a consultation with a family friendly, trusted, local pest control company that’s local to the Tampa bay area!