Cockroaches are the critters people love to hate. Approximately 3500 species exist in the world today, and Florida seems to have more than its share. The next time you hear someone complaining about the number of cockroaches in Florida, remind that critic: we didn’t choose them … they chose us! I guess that shows cockroaches have good taste. Cockroaches, also known as water bugs, croton bugs or palmetto bugs, destroy food and damage fabrics, book bindings and other materials. They secrete an oily liquid from scent glands that is offensive; this, odor may ruin food and be imparted to dishes that are apparently clean. Leaving excrement in the form of pellets or an ink-like liquid is another of their distasteful habits. Cockroaches are a bane of Florida orchid growers and can cause considerable damage to other greenhouse plants in Florida is the saw palmetto, a low-lying (ground runner) palm. These and other palms provide the perfect haven for cockroaches, i.e., darkness, moisture, plenty of decaying organic matter and protection from predators. In olden days, there was a profusion of saw palmetto around Florida Cracker homes and these plants were infested with “palmetto bugs” which were most likely Florida Woods or American cockroaches. During cooler weather, or just because, these bugs would move into a house. The residents put two and two together and linked these circumstances forevermore, by calling the cockroaches – PALMETTO BUGS.

Cockroaches prefer a moist environment; consequently, they will hold a class reunion in a pile of wet wood, sewer pipe or any location that is wet … so calling them WATER BUGS comes easy. And Water Bug just sounds much less threatening than Roach!

The cockroaches most commonly found in and around Florida homes are: FLORIDA WOODS, AMERICAN, SMOKY BROWN, BROWN, AUSTRALIAN, GERMAN AND BROWN-BANDED. (This team could win the Super Bowl.) The smallest of this group are the German and the Brown-Banded; the adults are seldom more than ⅝ inch long.



The larger cockroaches, the American, Australian, Brown and the Smoky Brown, are 1½ to 2 inches long. These are generally found outdoors, but can become an indoor problem when they migrate or are brought indoors. The largest of this group, the Florida Woods, will also enter dwellings from outdoors. Cuban Roach German Cockroach Smoky Brown Cockroach