Originally Posted by orangeblossombaby (Post 2014408)

all adult (mature) cockroaches can fly. Most of them don't, but they are all capable of it. Only nymphs are wingless.

A palmetto bug is just another term for cockroach. It's not a separate insect, or a distinct, unique species. It's just a regional term. Up north we call them "really big cockroaches." down in florida we call them "palmetto bugs." they're the same critter either way.

The really big ones (no matter what you choose to call it) are usually the american cockroach. The german cockroaches are smaller.

neither of them are as freaky as the madagascar hissing cockroaches, which can get up to 4 inches long, and are sometimes kept as pets and bedazzled with rhinestones on their exoskeleton.

Originally Posted by La lamy (Post 2014351)

Seeing cockroaches/palmetto bugs gives me a mini heart attack every time. I hate using chemicals to get rid of them, but I may have to go that route. UGGGGHHHH!

Originally Posted by davem4616 (Post 2014275)

Okay you live in Florida...there's gonna be bugs.

We have had a pest control service since moving into TV and have never had a cockroach or any bugs inside the house in the five years we've been here

Last week I got up during the night, turned on the bathroom light and noticed one in the bath tub...I squashed the bugger and flushed it down the toilet (and was thankful that it was me and not my wife or guests that saw it)...the next day I called our pest control company, they came right over and placed some traps around inside the house and sprayed the outside of the house and yard

When I mentioned the roach to a first cousin that lives a half mile away one village over he said that he had found one in the tub recently too...

Last night I found another roach in the tub and it quickly ducked down the drain...it was still dark when I got up to put out the trash this morning so, decided to check the tub....there it was...flushed that one down the toilet too

I had suspected that they may be coming up through the drain pipe as it seemed odd that both times they were seen in the tub

I just googled 'can roaches enter a house through drain pipes?'

here's what came back....

"Cockroaches are crafty enough to crawl in and out through drains and pipes; this is especially a problem in apartment buildings, where drain pipes are used as highways between apartments. ... Above all, keep all drains squeaky clean!
What do you pour down the drain to get rid of cockroaches?
Pour a mixture of white vinegar & baking soda in the drain to kill roaches. A great alternative to bleach is a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. Mix equal amounts of baking soda and white vinegar in a cup."

So, now I have one more item on my 'things to do list'

I'm wondering if there's an infestation of roaches in the village sewer lines?

Coming from the north and never being a city dweller, roaches were never a concern...it was carpenter ants and yellow jackets we had to control

Originally Posted by davem4616 (Post 2014275)

Okay you live in Florida...there's gonna be bugs.

We have had a pest control service since moving into TV and have never had a cockroach or any bugs inside the house in the five years we've been here

Last week I got up during the night, turned on the bathroom light and noticed one in the bath tub...I squashed the bugger and flushed it down the toilet (and was thankful that it was me and not my wife or guests that saw it)...the next day I called our pest control company, they came right over and placed some traps around inside the house and sprayed the outside of the house and yard

When I mentioned the roach to a first cousin that lives a half mile away one village over he said that he had found one in the tub recently too...

Last night I found another roach in the tub and it quickly ducked down the drain...it was still dark when I got up to put out the trash this morning so, decided to check the tub....there it was...flushed that one down the toilet too

I had suspected that they may be coming up through the drain pipe as it seemed odd that both times they were seen in the tub

I just googled 'can roaches enter a house through drain pipes?'

here's what came back....

"Cockroaches are crafty enough to crawl in and out through drains and pipes; this is especially a problem in apartment buildings, where drain pipes are used as highways between apartments. ... Above all, keep all drains squeaky clean!
What do you pour down the drain to get rid of cockroaches?
Pour a mixture of white vinegar & baking soda in the drain to kill roaches. A great alternative to bleach is a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. Mix equal amounts of baking soda and white vinegar in a cup."

So, now I have one more item on my 'things to do list'

I'm wondering if there's an infestation of roaches in the village sewer lines?

Coming from the north and never being a city dweller, roaches were never a concern...it was carpenter ants and yellow jackets we had to control

Originally Posted by davem4616 (Post 2014275)

Okay you live in Florida...there's gonna be bugs.

We have had a pest control service since moving into TV and have never had a cockroach or any bugs inside the house in the five years we've been here

Last week I got up during the night, turned on the bathroom light and noticed one in the bath tub...I squashed the bugger and flushed it down the toilet (and was thankful that it was me and not my wife or guests that saw it)...the next day I called our pest control company, they came right over and placed some traps around inside the house and sprayed the outside of the house and yard

When I mentioned the roach to a first cousin that lives a half mile away one village over he said that he had found one in the tub recently too...

Last night I found another roach in the tub and it quickly ducked down the drain...it was still dark when I got up to put out the trash this morning so, decided to check the tub....there it was...flushed that one down the toilet too

I had suspected that they may be coming up through the drain pipe as it seemed odd that both times they were seen in the tub

I just googled 'can roaches enter a house through drain pipes?'

here's what came back....

"Cockroaches are crafty enough to crawl in and out through drains and pipes; this is especially a problem in apartment buildings, where drain pipes are used as highways between apartments. ... Above all, keep all drains squeaky clean!
What do you pour down the drain to get rid of cockroaches?
Pour a mixture of white vinegar & baking soda in the drain to kill roaches. A great alternative to bleach is a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. Mix equal amounts of baking soda and white vinegar in a cup."

So, now I have one more item on my 'things to do list'

I'm wondering if there's an infestation of roaches in the village sewer lines?

Coming from the north and never being a city dweller, roaches were never a concern...it was carpenter ants and yellow jackets we had to control

Originally Posted by Luggage (Post 2014579)

First off I'm sorry to hear about the night time roach problem or palmetto bugs as some people call them. I was told by my pest control people, that these critters can hold their breath for 30 minutes and swim through the water pipes and I don't know if that's true or just a story. However I do know at the water if not used in the bathtub trap pipe will eventually evaporate if you don't use that bathroom or shower on a regular basis. So pouring down bleach / whatever your mixture is once a month or two and making sure you use the tub is definitely one way to stop the critters. You should also just have a couple of traps inside your bathroom closets and under your sinks as well as next to your refrigerator in the back and one or two near your doors in your garage that lead to your house. As I've always said "death to cockroaches"