If you’ve seen reddish-brown cockroaches scurrying around your home in Orlando, you might be dealing with American cockroaches, also known as palmetto bugs. An infestation can pose a health risk by spreading allergens and bacteria throughout your home.
Below, we’ll discuss how to identify, prevent, and eliminate American roaches before they become a bigger roach problem.
Key Takeaways
- American cockroaches reproduce fast, so stopping them means removing food, water, entry points, and using the right treatments.
- Roach infestations can be confirmed by spotting droppings, egg cases, musty smells, or live cockroaches searching for food.
- Keeping food sealed, cleaning daily, fixing leaks, sealing cracks, and removing outdoor debris make homes less inviting.
- Baits, sticky traps, boric acid, and pest control services help eliminate roaches and stop them from coming back.
1. Identify the Problem
Before taking action, you need to confirm you have an American cockroach infestation. These light brown or reddish-brown critters with long antennae can be identified by their:
- Droppings – Small, dark, cylindrical feces found near baseboards, stoves, or inside crawl spaces.
- Egg Cases – Brown, capsule-shaped egg cases hidden in crevices, under countertops, or inside cardboard boxes.
- Musty Odor – A strong, unpleasant smell, especially in areas with high humidity, like basements or crawl spaces.
- Live Roaches – If you see adults or nymphs at night in your kitchen, bathroom, or garage, they’re likely searching for food sources and water sources.
2. Cut Off Food and Water Sources
American cockroaches will eat almost anything, including pet food, dirty dishes, and even mulch outside your home. To make your home less appealing:
- Store all food sources in airtight containers.
- Wipe down countertops and sweep crumbs daily.
- Take out the trash regularly and keep garbage cans sealed.
- Fix water sources like leaky faucets or pipes.
- Never leave pet food out overnight.
3. Seal Entry Points
Unlike German cockroaches, which prefer to stay indoors, the American cockroach moves between indoor and outdoor environments. These roaches can squeeze into your home through tiny gaps.
To keep them out of your home, you’ll need to seal off any gaps they could use to sneak inside. Start by using caulk to close up crevices around baseboards, pipes, and walls.
Adding door sweeps to exterior doors will help block them from crawling in, while covering vents and drains with fine mesh screens will stop them from slipping in through plumbing or air ducts.
Outside, clear away mulch and wood piles near your home—these damp, hidden spots are a magnet for roaches.
4. Use Baits and Non-Toxic Methods
Baits are one of the most effective ways to control a roach infestation. They can be targeted cockroach control solutions that eliminate entire colonies while keeping your home safe.
If you’re looking for a DIY approach to cockroach control, boric acid can be applied in crevices and along entry points, but it should be kept away from pets and kids.
Sticky traps placed along walls help monitor and catch them, while diatomaceous earth dehydrates and kills them on contact.
5. Call a Professional Pest Control Company
If your infestation is severe, hiring a pest control service is the best solution. At Rowland Pest Management, we provide:
- Free inspections to identify infestation severity.
- Professional pest control treatments customized for your home.
- Exterminator services to eliminate American, Smokybrown, and German roaches.
- Preventative pest management to keep roaches from coming back.
We service Orlando, Winter Park, Kissimmee, and surrounding areas, offering same-day or next-day appointments whenever possible.
Call us now for a free inspection! Let us help you take back your home from these unwanted critters.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re dealing with American cockroaches, you might be wondering about their habits and what makes them invade your home. Here are some common questions that can help you stay ahead of an infestation.
Can American cockroaches fly?
Yes, American cockroaches have wings and can glide, but they prefer running. They mostly use their wings to escape danger or travel short distances when searching for food or shelter.
Do American cockroaches bite?
American cockroaches rarely bite, but in large infestations, they might nibble on fingernails or dead skin. The bigger concern is that they spread bacteria and trigger allergies, making them a health risk.
What attracts American cockroaches to homes?
American cockroaches are drawn to warmth, moisture, and food sources, making kitchens, basements, and bathrooms ideal hiding spots. Leaky pipes, pet food, and clutter also attract them.
Outdoor factors like mulch, woodpiles, and overflowing garbage bins create breeding grounds that make it easier for roaches to invade your home.