Palmetto bugs have entered your house, and you do not know what to do. Here is a complete guide on how to kill and get rid of them permanently.
- Palmetto bugs are the precursors of filth, their natural habitat is palmetto trees, and in homes, they are found in moist and damp places.
- Different identification signs are present at a place where palmetto bugs are present.
- Several preventive measures are discussed to prevent the entry of bugs into our homes and protect us from future infestations.
- Chemical methods like insecticides are used for the large-scale killing of palmetto bugs.
- Natural methods are used to kill palmetto bugs as they are biodegradable and cost-effective.
Have you ever heard the word palmetto and wondered what kind of bug this is? The American and smoky brown cockroaches are both types of coaches referred to as palmetto bugs.
Palmetto bugs live both indoors and outdoors. Their natural habitat is Palmetto trees. In homes, they are primarily found in dark and damp places like beneath sinks, behind dishwashers, and refrigerators.
These insects are a problem to human health as they are unsanitary. There are several ways to get rid of palmetto bugs which are described in this article.Â
Signs of Palmetto Bug Infestation
Some signs start to appear if there are palmetto bugs in your house and if there is a chance of beginning a palmetto bug infestation at your place. The signs are as follows:
Palmetto Bug Feces
If you have a palmetto bug infestation at your place, the first sign will appear in the presence of palmetto bug feces. We can easily identify them, as they appear similar to ground coffee or pepper flakes.
An Unpleasant Odor
One of the most common signs which appear when you have a palmetto bug infestation at your place is an unpleasant strong musky odor.
This odor occurs because the insects communicate through this odor, which shows that they are increasing at a high rate and are already present in large numbers.
Egg Cases
Palmetto bugs are the kind of insects that have a short reproduction time and increase at a high rate. So if they are at some place, their egg cases must also be present, and they can be seen with the naked eye.
The egg cases are known as oothecae; they are rusty brown or reddish in color and oval in shape. 15-60 eggs are present in each case. These egg cases are mostly found beneath the furniture, behind the appliances, and in cracks and cavities in walls.Â
Sighting Palmetto Bugs in Your Home/Place
The last and the most obvious sign is when you sight palmetto bugs in your home. A plan should be made on how to get rid of them.
Safeguard Against Palmetto Bugs
Having palmetto bugs in your home is stressful, and now that you have identified their presence, you want to eliminate them as soon as possible. You can eliminate them using pesticides, traps, natural repellents, and more.
No Entry Points
All the entry points to your house should be closed like doors, and windows should not be opened unnecessarily. Moreover, the cracks and holes in the walls should be filled, so they don’t serve as a home for the palmetto bugs.
Do Not Leave Food and Beverages Sitting Out in Your Home
Crumbs, dirty dishes, unsealed garbage, pet food, improperly sealed food, and beverages are present in your house, particularly in your kitchen.
They should be cleaned and removed immediately as they serve as a food source for the palmetto bugs.
Get Rid of Water Sources
There should be no standing water in the house, including standing water in sinks, plant pots, refrigerator pans, and pet water dishes.
All the water sources should be clean.
Do Not Let Clutter Accumulate in Your House
Stacks of newspapers, cardboard boxes, grocery bags, and piles of dirty clothes are the sites where one bug can enter and then use it as a place for shelter and hiding, which results in an outbreak in your house, so do not let clutter accumulate in your house.
Palmetto Bug-Dropping
Cockroaches’ feces tend to attract other cockroaches in that place.
Vacuuming and wiping the areas infected with the insect with hot soapy water can eliminate this phenomenon.
Insecticides
Insecticides are usually used on large scales and not at homes, but if the infestation is large, then insecticides come to the rescue.
Luckily, there are some insecticides present in the market which use natural products as their main ingredient.
These ingredients are obtained from botanical sources and do not cause any harm to the health of individuals.
Natural Products
If you are environmentally friendly and do not want any adverse effects on your health and the environment, then you will pick natural products to kill the palmetto bugs.
Many natural products are available in the market, including sprays, traps, and ultrasonic pest repellents. They kill the insects without harsh chemicals or toxins and are safe to use around food, as the insects get attracted to food pantries.
Pest sprays with natural products contain peppermint oil to kill and repel pests. In sticky traps, non-toxic glue attracts the bug as they get curious and try to sniff and get captured on the glue and then killed.
Home Remedies
We love using home remedies to kill the palmetto bugs as they are environmentally friendly, safe to use, cause no harm to the health, and help us save money.
So, if you use home remedies periodically, the bugs will never enter the house, and you will never have to invest in any insecticide or other method to kill the bugs.
Some of the home remedies for repelling palmetto bugs are as follows:
Catnip Repellent Spray
Yes, you heard it right. We can make our catnip repellent spray by boiling the catnip for about 10 minutes. Let it cool, and after that, pour it into a spray bottle and spray the solution over where you suspect the bugs might be present.
This spray will kill the palmetto bugs and ensure that new bugs do not enter your house.
Baking Soda and Sugar
Make a solution of baking soda and sugar in equal amounts and leave it on a flat surface in a dish.
At night, when the palmetto bugs come out, they will fall prey, eat the solution, and die.Â
Essential Oils
Essential oils like lavender oil, tea tree oil, peppermint oil, and eucalyptus oil act as repellents for palmetto bugs.
We can either make a solution of essential oils in water with 15 drops of oil in 10 ounces of water and spray it all over the house or soak a cotton ball in essential oil and place it on the entry site of palmetto bugs so that they are repelled and do not enter the house.
Mothballs
Mothballs are very effective and easy to use, but they contain chemicals, so they should be used cautiously. They can be toxic if a child or a pet ingests them.
They kill palmetto bugs, too, if they eat them. They act as repellents because of the strong scent they produce, and they can be used by just placing them in a place where you want to fight off the bugs.
White Vinegar and Water
White vinegar and water spray are very helpful as they can be used for cleaning purposes and do not stain the furniture or the surfaces.
One cup of vinegar and two cups of water are needed to make the spray, which acts as a repellent. We can add peppermint oil to it as it intensifies its repelling effect.
Conclusion
Palmetto bugs are a specific type of cockroach, and their natural habitat is palmetto trees. They are found in houses in moist, warm, and humid places.
They are a sign of poor sanitary conditions, and they spread diseases, so to get rid of them, several preventative measures should be taken to protect us from the entering the palmetto bugs in our homes.
Still, we can use natural methods and chemical solutions to eliminate them once they have entered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Palmetto Bugs Capable of Flying?
Depends upon the roach species we are talking about. The Florida woods cockroaches do not fly, whereas the American cockroaches can take short gliding flights, and smoky cockroaches are capable flyers.
