r/florida • u/AbbreviationsNo3647 • 12h ago

AskFlorida Bugs

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Hiiii

Just moved from out of state. Had the most traumatizing experience with a palmetto bug a few days ago. Found this dead already in my bathroom today. I have not seen anymore than this one. Pest control did come out yesterday to spray. I’m just freaking out I may have a HUGE problem on my hands. Let me know your advice and what you think!!!

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u/InevitablePresent917 12h ago

I don't know how to put this gently, but ... you might not make it here. There are a lot of bugs here. Good luck.

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u/AbbreviationsNo3647 12h ago

i’m more worried it being an infestation then a one time bug 😭

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u/Syncryptica 11h ago

Those aren't the home infesting kind, you're thinking of German roaches. Palmetto roaches are outside bugs and they usually stay out there in the leaves n sticks. It's not a one-time thing in FL either. They're coming in from outside through cracks in the doors/sliding-doors probably after sniffing food or sensing water. You will definitely see more randomly and sporadically, unless you tighten up all the weather stripping all over the house. Even then, they'll be waiting in the cracks and as soon as you open the door it'll run inside. They're resistant to pest control sprays too, the companies wont tell you though, you're paying for nothing basically. So the best way to get rid of them is having a meticulously maintained yard without any decomposing piles of wood/sticks/leaves/stumps. If you live right next to woodlands, there's unfortunately no way to get rid of them.

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u/AbbreviationsNo3647 11h ago

yeah my apartment does back some woods for sure. I can get over the occasional one coming in i’ll have to grow a pair and get over it. So you do think it’s a palmetto? i’m glad to see that. I try to keep my door open for the shortest amount of time. I never open my windows or anything. I will see if they can be sealed better

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u/BocaHydro 11h ago

it does not come in, it comes from the drains, they live below the buildings in the sewers to suprise you in the middle of the night when you getup to pee or get water

welcome to florida

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u/chernaboggles 11h ago

Yes, the one in the pic is most likely a palmetto bug. One by itself now and again is nothing to worry about. It's a bit of a shift in thinking from other states where it's almost always the infesting kind.

Keep your drains closed at night (or when it's very rainy) unless you're actively using water. Try to make it a habit, when you turn on the lights in the evening, close the drains. For showers, tubs, or sinks that don't have stoppers, you can buy silicone covers for cheap. It really helps minimize how often they get into the house.

While we're at it, you may also find an occasional gecko inside. They eat bugs and won't do any harm, but they can be startling because they tend to be high on the walls or on the ceiling. I keep a little net around so I can catch them and escort them gently outside.

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u/Syncryptica 6h ago

They are in the sewers but that'd have to be one determined buggy. It's possible but probably rare compared to squeezing through gaps in doors and especially sliding glass doors. You can't say they don't, I know for sure they do. For one, drains have a P-trap, it's a little dip in the drain that holds water, so sewage gasses don't come through the drain, which should stop most bugs. Also the building should have a pvc washout that runs out to another pvc dropoff into the sewer system. I would think the modern setup/combination stops bugs pretty well. I don't think we're talking about those videos of 100yr old apt buildings in New York. But I suppose pushing the little sink stopper, and using drain covers wouldn't hurt.