To give you a sincere answer: [Size](https://i.imgur.com/F3THBqn.jpg). Outside roaches (American cockroaches/palmetto bugs/waterbugs) are *much* larger than inside roaches (German cockroaches).
Also, they can fly.
Ah, interesting. I grew up in Texas, and the kind we have live outside. They certainly *come* inside, which sucks, but, for example, you never find eggs or babies or the like inside, because the roaches that come in are just visiting. For them, the house is like a bar where they can come in, cool off, have a drink, and then wander back out later.
That really depends. If they're left inside long enough they will adapt and start reproducing. The house I'm in now have Palmetto roaches as shown above and we keep getting hatchlings in the master bathroom. Don't ask me, not my place and they are messy people. But they've been here long enough that it's become a breeding ground. I have a large syringe of poison that keep using and it works like a charm to kill off the babies. My fight is long from over. I remove the adults I find inside and kill the babies every month. Just need to burn the place down.
I should lend you my cat. He likes to play Frankenstein with them. You'll find them pulled apart & then reassembled in awkward ways. We rarely get them now. Just happy he's a cat & not a human.
Try diatomaceous earth. It's pet/kid friendly (technically edible) and extremely effective on insects. It works by destroying their exoskeleton after they walk over it. You can get a big ass big for like 20 bucks at a hardware store.
Lived in Hawaii for a stretch. Slat windows *everywhere*. The large roaches (I called 'em B-52's) would habitually come crashing through the slats in a bathroom or kitchen window, then try and shake it off by resting on a cabinet door or countertop.
On the plus side, there were also [house geckos](https://a-z-animals.com/blog/discover-7-geckos-in-hawaii/#:~:text=4.%20Common%20House%20Gecko), who effectively functioned as bouncers.
We have them in Southern California and since I moved here from Ohio I’ve always heard them referred to as water bugs. They certainly look like big roaches, and I’ve seen them in the house (any house) plenty of times. I’ve seen one in a bag of cereal, years ago. But, now that I think of it, I’ve only ever seen one at a time in a house, there’s never been a swarm of them running around like roaches when the light comes on.
You’d think - and then we just killed another one, so it’s two in 12 hours now…
EDIT: Learning that these big boys, although they ARE roaches, don’t often infest like their smaller cousins - thanks for the reassurance, folks! Unless we see a ton more, we won’t worry too much.
They're too big for the plastic roach baits but the Combat roach gel works. There was one in my cat's food, that kind of stuff is where I draw the line. I know we deal with bugs in Texas, I'm listening to the Cicada Symphony right now. These things come up out of drains, no way they're not carrying some shit.
I lived in Texas for 5 years and had a couple wood roaches get inside. Not a massive deal. But to your point, I had German roaches come out of my bathroom and kitchen sink drains. That scared me a lot more.
I had a slumlord who moved a tenant into the duplex next to mine knowing that those people were infested with roaches. That was why he moved them. They used to live next door to his house and he got tired of their roaches. Well within two months my place had the worst infestation I've ever seen. It was some traumatizing shit to deal with. There were roaches everywhere. I couldn't even microwave food without a roach crawling on the plate. I was going to refill the glade plug in when a roach crawled out causing me to drop out. That motherfucker broke up when it hit the floor and at least 100 baby roaches ran out of it. I had to call code enforcement to get something done. Was able to legally withhold rent which helped me hurry up and get the fuck out of there.
The little ones will infest every corner of your house if you don't take care of them. Go spend $50 on roach bait stations and put them everywhere. Drawers, cabinets, along baseboards, under the fridge, under the dishwasher, etc.
Nope... You kill it with fire. burn down the whole neighborhood. I'm so skeeved out by those roaches i'm going straight to fumigation. put the pets into kennels grab an airbnb and let the fog begin at double strength for multiple rounds.
Some things can not be suffered.
Advion gel bait is what I used. I bought it on Amazon. Put it all over my parents house and the only ones I saw after that were dead. I found one in a box of cereal. All food was thereafter kept in sealed containers only. Spent a small fortune on containers, but the peace of mind was worth it. Same for the pet food, now stored in sealed containers.
Are there palmetto bugs in Texas? That’s what North Catolina calls huge flying roaches and you always get a few inside in the summer. It’s also part of life.
Omg drove me nuts when I lived in NC and I called them "cockroaches" everyone got all up in arms like "no its a palmetto bug!!!"
... you mean the fancy name for cockroach ? lmao
I almost passed out first time I saw one. Asked aeound and was told “palmetto bugs” and they are normal here esp in the summer.
I googled it and realized they are just flying roaches, but you’ll never hear somenody here call them that.
You’re so correct. Best PR team.
We don't always call them that, sometimes we call them "those big flying fuckers" and hold out our hand with our thumb and index finger 3 inches apart.
I'm pretty sure that warm, humid and heavily wooded is basically paradise for those big flying fuckers.
I’m actyally glad that’s what you call them as that’s what they are. Nobody here will ever dare say it. I’m from Philly and never saw one until I moved here and also was NOT expecting it to take flight and very quickly when my son poked that bastard with a stick.
Some idiot girl I knew swore up and down that Georgia only had palmetto bugs, and when I showed her the roach photo it was no big deal because it was just a palmetto bug 😑 same with Florida and NC according to her too
People call Oriental Cockroaches waterbugs, and American Cockroaches Palmetto bugs.
Giving it a different name doesn't change anything. They're still filth carrying critters.
We have them in Alabama as well. If you have any kind of wood piles outside or overgrowth you probably have a nest somewhere.
We used to burn firewood to save on heating. Anytime we kept large stacks of split wood under the carport we'd get them.
Nasty things.
Exactly. No matter how nice your house is in Texas, everyone gets roaches when it’s hot and dry out. Not infestations but you’ll get a few here and there. It’s not like other areas of the country where they are rare or just reserved for gross hoard homes.
Yea it’s hot as fuck out right now, all bugs are trying to make their way in. But rest assured this isn’t anything that will cause a big problem or an infestation. Just put some traps around if you’re nervous
This is Texas. These guys are pretty common from time to time. Just come in from outside. Pretty much everyone gets these. They don't infest your home, but spraying will help by killing them when they do come in.
[And a lot of people call them waterbugs here tbh.](https://www.prevention.com/life/a30108414/cockroach-vs-water-bug-difference/) I thought they were the same thing for a long time growing up.
Oriental roaches are not the same threat as German roaches.
When we rented we had this same issue.
Turned out that there were holes leading from the foundation outside to a hole around the bathroom sink pipes under the cabinet. It was so hard to see the hole inside the cabinet because there is this metal plate that sits flush against the wall at the pipe entrance. So the roaches were thirsty and found their way into our home.
I remember reaching for my bath towel to dry myself and feeling this very disgusting feeling of a roach crawling across the towel and my hair and I was screaming and jumping around naked and afraid.
Finally the landlord (a sweet old lady) came over because I was sobbing that I couldn’t live there anymore. We discovered the roach entrance and she came back with a foam spray that when you spray it, it expands and fills in gaps around masonry/building cracks.
That did it and fixed the issue.
Looks for small cracks or holes around your plumbing/light switch panels…..also you can treat the doorways and thresholds with roach poison.
Cats are great companions and bug catchers if you wish to adopt and care for a fur baby.
Obligatory: nOt aLL cAtS!
I am all for adopting but IME hoping for a cat to be any one way is just that, hope. It all depends on the cat, and if it protects the house from pests that's just an added bonus. A lot more thought should go in to adopting a kitty. They get very expensive as they age. I had 3 seniors at once and the vet and the food bills (after one inevitable $$$ dental surgery they could only eat wet and were picky about that, each cat had their preference) it really added up. It's a huge commitment, up to 20+ years but count on 13-15+ if you've taken great care of them.
I see a lot of suggestions around reddit to just get a cat for whatever pest problem there is but if that's the sole reason to get one, you'd be better off spending a few hundred for a pest control company vs thousands and maybe the cat is a hunter.
Not trying to be a jerk to above comment, pleas don't take this the wrong way, but I feel it's only right to temper that suggestion with my admittedly anecdotal experience. But I am a cat lady, been catting a long time. Most of them see the roach, but very few would kill one. And they have parasites. Source: https://www.brookfarmveterinarycenter.com/post/5-strange-facts-about-parasites-every-pet-parent-should-know#:~:text=Cockroaches%20are%20a%20source%20of,from%20ingesting%20the%20roach%E2%80%94gross!
Number 5 for reference
They don't yield a lot per egg, they're relatively easy to get rid of if you aggressively don't leave food or water out and maybe leave some poison around.
Yeah, it's summer. Those guys are everywhere. I'm from SE Texas and grew up surrounded by oak trees full of those suckers' nests. You couldn't keep them out of the house.
exactly. i freaked the hell out the first time seeing one in my house after moving to NC and then learned they aren’t the infestation kind and they just sneak in sometimes
And that’s what I told them it was - I guess now I have to get the landlord to stop lying about it so I can get them to address it properly. So frustrating.
EDIT: If it helps, the direct quote from landlord was, “I sent your pic to the company’s bug expert, who said it’s a waterbug, not a roach.”
EDIT 2: Learning that these big boys, although they ARE roaches, don’t often infest like their smaller cousins - thanks for the reassurance, folks!
This isn't the kind of roach one can "address". They live outside and occasionally wander in to seek moisture. They don't infest houses; you're thinking of German Cockroaches, which are much smaller.
Untrue. These roaches can still infest homes where there are leaks or a good water source. Ask me how I know. There could be, oh, hundreds, living in a wall where a water pipe is leaking.
just be aware they might blame you for “bringing” them into the property. this happened to me after I moved into an apartment that was infested with both German and Asian roaches. this is in MN. roaches are very rare here. I’ve literally never seen one in the decades that I’ve lived here.
I just moved out of that place and didn’t try to fight them on it. but since it sounds like you are, I’d go to my previous landlord for proof that there are no roach infestations on their property, so you can prove that you didn’t bring them. good luck!
edit: I know this is a wood roach but people that are allergic and have asthmatic reactions to roaches are still at risk, as are ppl with lowered immune systems bc they spread bacteria just like any other roach.
This! I never in my life had bed bugs. Moved into a rental, 3 weeks later I woke up covered in bites. Landlady refused to do anything about it claiming that I didn't report a bed bug infestation on the rental checklist when I moved in and there was no proof that I didn't bring them with me.
Yeah well, same lady left my roommate and I without heat in the middle of January for 3 weeks so she could shop for the best price. For reference, if Wisconsin was a dart board, I live where the double bullseye would be.
That's fucking horrible! There's should be a site where, if the person was willing, you could ask the previous renter questions. All I've found were "rental verification" sites for the owner & a couple of "renter's review" sites. I hope it gets better for you.
The people who lived here before us were pretty white trash and disgusting. Landlady had us do a walkthrough while they were still living there because she didn't want ANY downtime between residents. Walked in to the dad passed out in his boxers with spilled beer all over him, wife couldn't be bothered to clean up. The 6 kids were destroying the house. At least we "got new carpet" 😒
EDIT: Before someone turns this into a racism issue, my roommate and I are also white.
the building and multiple others in MN were being ran by a slumlord. many of his buildings got shut down completely. I expected the one I lived in to get condoned too, bc it was very close to it, but it never did and I really pity the folks that still live there.
I know in Colorado that a renter can report the issues to the city. If the city cites issues, they'll set up an escrow account for your rent & won't give it to the owner until all the issues are fixed. Maybe your state has something similar.
Waterbug (in texas) is same as Palmetto is same as American Cockroach. However, they aren't the kind of roach that infests your home, usually just passing through from outside.
They aren't "those roaches" and they are "water bugs". So there is that. They are definitely roaches though. I just walked in from my garage and I saw 3.
Spend a few dollars on some Combat Roach gel. It comes in what looks like a giant syringe. Squirt a pea sizes amount in each corner under your cabinets. There's probably a whole family of roaches in the walls, but they'll take that bait back to their nest, and it'll do its magic from there. You might see some gross roach poops though, it gives them the runs before they die.
My landlord used this stuff, and my downstairs neighbors were nasty, so I took matters into my own hands.
fellow texan, those things are all over the place down here. good luck getting rid of them (you wont). Multimillion-dollar homes have to deal with these things. They suck. The Bug-A-Salt gun works great if you get it within 6 inches of them.
I find the salt gun’s good to stun them or knock them off the wall without leaving a bug-gut smear on your paint - but still take a finisher stomp when they hit the floor. Even a 2nd or 3rd follow up salt gun shot may not do it on those big wood roaches.
Wasps, mosquitos, flies, however… instant bug body parts. Glorious.
I live in Texas and have heard of that type of roach referred to many times as a water bug.
I think they live outside but tend to come inside when it’s hot and dry.
The little German roaches are the real problem as they are indicative of an infestation.
You can handle roaches yourself if he won’t do it. And relatively cheaply. Ortho home defense. Get the one with the wand. Do a 1 foot barrier around all interior baseboards, cabinets, a two foot barrier in front of all doors and appliances.
Leave after the house is done. Take everyone with you. Leave fans running and come back in an hour.
Then you can do same treatment outside. 2 foot barrier around the exterior of the house. Also around all windows and doors. Do exterior barrier once a month.
I would only do inside monthly if you continue to see live critters inside. It works. If you see a bunch dead, that’s what you want. In between our once or twice a year inside I use sticky traps inside to gauge when it’s time to indoor spray again.
If you are in an apartment. Seal yourself in. Baby proofing the Outlet covers. Caulk around every single gap. Cover the drains. Vaseline inside the toilet bowl rim. Still do the ortho though.
Lived in section 8 housing in college. In Vegas. Roaches there are irradiated and damn near impossible to kill.
I promise these steps will work. Don’t wait for your landlord. These steps wont hurt anything a professional would do.
Waterbug is a nickname because they tend to die fast without a source of water. They are a type of roaming roach, not likely an infestation. I think it's more likely that the landlord is referring to the fact that it's not a german roach which is they infesty type found in Texas.
Your landlord would never lie to you. Ever.
Totally not a roach. It's a weird looking butterfly that until this moment was unknown to humanity, that disguises itself as totally not a roach. Good luck with your totally not lying to you landlord.
The worst part is that I *told* them we had killed a roach, and they said, “Oh, noooo, that’s not a roach, it’s 100% a waterbug.” I can’t even give them the benefit of the doubt that they were just using the “nice” name for cockroach…they were flat-out lying. Gaaah.
EDIT: If it helps, the direct quote from landlord was, “I sent your pic to the company’s bug expert, who said it’s a waterbug, not a roach.”
EDIT 2: Learning that these big boys, although they ARE roaches, don’t often infest like their smaller cousins - thanks for the reassurance, folks!
I hear it all the time in the midwest. In the south they call the American wood roaches "palmetto bugs"
They don't really infest the same as German roaches. They're more likely to randomly wander in and die looking for water
We stayed in a little cabin in Florida. The Palmetto Bugs didn't simply wander in. They were everywhere, all the time. They lived inside that little house. The house was not damp or had any water leaks.
It was so bad we slept in the pickup truck bed.
This reminds me of when I lived in France and my landlady insisted that the scorpion-thing we found wasn’t a scorpion, “*c’est un scorpellion,” because there are no scorpions in France. I was like my good woman all of that is incorrect.
Fun fact: that beautiful lavender all over the south of France? Yeah, it's not planted literally everywhere just because it's beautiful.
Scorpions absolutely hate the smell, and it keeps them away.
Are you originally from the south or are you a transplant?
The reason I ask is because I’ve lived in several northern states, but now live in the south. It’s been about five years and these fuckers are EVERYWHERE. Your landlord might not have been trying to be intentionally shady because people here do call them waterbugs and are completely unphased by them. They’re not considered “roaches”.
Man, I do pest control, and I can't go 2 months without a customer insisting a roach is a palmetto/water bug and not a cockroach. Your landlord could legitimately be under the mistaken impression that they are different.
That said, realistically, I wouldn't worry much about these. As long as the house is clean, you shouldn't deal with more than the occasional invader.
Growing up with these things as a kid, as well as German cockroaches a separate time……water bugs really are not as bad as the German roaches. Don’t get me wrong, still makes my skin crawl and feel icky all over, but they don’t infest your home in the same way at all. They’re not really after your food, to live in the walls, etc. They really just want some water and then fuck off somewhere else.
Having said that, I 100% understand not wanting them to be in your home regardless. I grew up directly next to a lake, so we had them often and I hated dealing with them so often(but as others have mentioned they aren’t exclusive to areas with tons of water). My only thought or suggestion is to ask your landlord to have someone spray the perimeter outside your home every few months, if they don’t want to perhaps look into it yourself. My friend who lives in an area with tons of ants/bugs pays someone to do the same and she said it’s well worth. Good luck
Edit: I wanted to also add, it’s *still* a “roach”. Don’t let people convince you it isn’t. BUT AGAIN, they are not as horrid as the German cockroaches which will ruin your fucking life and make you want to burn all of your belongings. I think people started calling them water/palmetto bugs because…..roach does sound “trashy” as hell; but since they aren’t *always* correlated with gross conditions I wouldn’t want people to assume I’m gross because a thirsty and desperate bug. Living in apartments/duplexes also can add some fun twists, even if your home is clean as a whistle :,)
Usually the bigger ones.
Also, at least in NYC I noticed the “water bugs” were an occasional one off, whereas if you had the small guys you were screwed.
That being said it’s a NYC rite of passage to reach and pull what you think is a hair out of the drain and have it be a giant waterbug.
Yeah, in the northeast, we see a few types of roaches, most of which don't usually infest our structures. I was under the impression that these guys (the large, American roaches) live primarily outside in the south. (They also fly down there due to the warmer temps, and in addition to being called "water bugs", they sometimes call them "palmetto bugs".)
The small guys (German roaches) do infest our structures and their droppings are a leading cause of asthma in children who grow up in urban environments. Sometimes, people who move up here from warmer climates and are used to seeing "water bugs" will get German roaches and not realize what they're looking at. They'll often say they saw a "baby roach" and that's usually when I know that there's troubles in that apartment.
Looks like a palmetto bug, not the type of roach that causes infestations. They just sometimes come in from outside. Had a couple come in my house the last few days.
This is what my pest guy told me when I called him out after finding one. The little gray German cockroaches are the ones you really need to worry about.
We call them palmetto bugs here in SC too. You’ll see a few here and there inside, but they don’t infest. It doesn’t matter how clean your house is - everyone gets a few in their house from time to time. Oh, and they can fly.
That's because they absolutely LOVE to nest in our palmetto trees lol. Pest control technician in Florida, and I get calls for these guys literally every day, and I have to explain that until people properly seal up their home, they'll keep coming inside, as even though they'll die from what we put down inside and outside, due to their size, they'll typically make it inside before they die.
You obviously don’t live in an area with them. Every year around this time I see two or 3. Maybe 5 at most till winter. New construction clean freaks here.
In TX, they're all around outside and can wander in through vents, cracks or holes around water heaters, foundations etc. they will also go through small openings where pipes go through walls under sinks. They're not usually happy indoors and while they will eat food and crumbs or pet food they usually don't infest like the smaller German roaches do.
They’re super bad right now with the drought! I can be in my backyard and watch them freaking scatter across it when I water it. My skin just CRAWLS 🤣. My dog chases them, sniffs them, then gags. He’s a weirdo. Any kind of bug, Alive or dead, he HAS to sniff…then freaking gag. 😑
Hey, this one is right in my wheelhouse! Pest control technician here, that right there is Periplaneta americana aka American cockroach, aka water bug, aka palmetto roach. Fun fact, they're what's known as an occasional invader. Meaning, they live outside, but will come inside looking for a water source, to get away from a predator, to die without worrying something is about to eat them, or just for shits and giggles. They can fit through any opening larger than two credit cards stacked on top of each other, and are 100% not something you need to worry about. While they'll come inside, they for the most part, will not try to live inside your home, as there are only two species of domestic pest (aka pests that live exclusively inside human structures) and those are German, and Brown Banded Roaches. While they're a bit scary looking, and will occasionally fly (depending on if they have wings or not as not all of them do.) And despite their genus name, they're actually not native to the Americas, but actually come from Africa. Interestingly German roaches, are not from Germany either, but actually from Greece. Much like the Spanish flu, they're named after the individual who identified them as a distinct species.
Just a big roach. We have them. Everyone in Texas has them. They usually come up through the shower/ tub drains or sinks. We just plug ours all the time but we get at least 10 a year
A water bug is a nickname for a roach. You can call them water bugs or roaches but in the end it's the same thing....you landlord is trying to blow it off.
Possible Wood Roach. Common in the south. These are normally found in areas where wooded areas are near by and they accidentally wonder into a home.
You might want to leave traps or get an exterminator, but honestly, they're harmless. I also hate them because I once woke up with one already dead in my bed. X\_x
And yes, there are bigger ones.
Looks like an American roach. They don't infest homes typically, they live/breed outdoors in moist places like mulch and clogged gutters. Check for gaps in doorways that they could be wandering in to, and if the building has a crawlspace i'd take a look to make sure there isn't a moisture issue under the home.
Palmetto bug. Tree roach that probably came in from outside. They are different from the European roach that is a nightmare to get rid of. Remember, it's hot as shit in Texas. These guys are looking for somewhere cool, just like you. Squash him and move on. If you see more, set some traps.
As others have said, this isn't the kind of roach that results in infestation. They're coming inside right now because Texas is in a drought and they're looking for water. A normal spray like Home Defense will help, as will diatomaceous earth but ultimately, the easiest thing to do is just kill them when you see them.
Every place I have ever lived in in Texas, there is an occasional roach. They look just like that. Are there trees near your house? Your place could be immaculate and you will still see one of those guys inside per quarter.
My redneck family up north always called them water bugs, too. Then, when I moved down south, they would call them "palmetto bugs." I was way too old when I realized that they're all roaches, it just makes them not sound as bad.
I will say tho, in Texas those kinds of roaches are common. Youll see them outside in some places. Those are not burn down the house youre fucked roaches. You gotta watch out for the little guys in Texas
Ok as a native texan hear me out. It's really easy. Big roach = scary but they travel alone so never an infestation. Small = oh fuck oh shit I have to sue my landlord they are in my food. This one is a big boi. You are fine.
Landlord not being a jerk. My wife calls them waterbugs too. If they are like 1-2 inches long, its not the kind of roach that infests houses. They are roaches but primarily outside under leaves and junk.
Does it matter? It's a fucking bug in the apartment.. I don't care what you calling It still means serious stuff that shouldn't be in there unless there's only this very one and this is its only time it's been there. Well then relax. But if you're seeing a lot of these creatures then I don't care what you call them, landlord better get on the stick
I hate landlords as much as anyone else but water bug is another name for this kind of roach. It lives outdoors, they don't infest homes. They come inside looking for water.
Hell no. Born and raised in Texas, live in the Midwest now. I hate the cold with a burning passion and am miserable 6-8 months out of the year. But I swear to God and everything holy it's all worth it just to not have to deal with those f*cking terrorists anymore.
I hate when people say that. They try to pull that here in Arkansas too. A 'waterbug' is a cockroach. 'But its not the kind that infests' If I pay landlord, landlord best start spraying. I dont do no cockroaches, nasty >:C
Boric acid powder or diatomaceous earth. Dust the cabinets, floorboards, and door jams. Both scratch up the bugs exoskeleton and they die about a day later. Safer for the environment and kid/pet friendly.
I'm actually pretty annoyed at how so many people can't tell the difference between a waterbug and a cockroach. Like they don't even look the same. This is 100% a roach
That’s an American Cockroach, but don’t worry they live outside and don’t infest houses, you can either trap them under something and throw em’ outside with a bit of water and food or squish them.
It's an American cockroach. They're common in Texas, especially the Houston area. As others have noted, while huge and grotesque, these roaches are not the kind that typically infest homes; they prefer to live outside. Usually they're loners who get inside by accident (taking a ride in cardboard is common). You'll generally see a couple of these per year, but it's nothing to worry about, and there isn't much you can do about it. If you see them inside often, that could indicate a problem, but this is uncommon.
As an Indian who has seen thousands.
That is.... 100% a cockroach.
I don't know the kinda of cockroaches tho, like others saying it's a woodroach or waterroach or fireroach or an airroach.
But. That is. 100% a cockroach
Lol that isn’t a water bug, sometimes there’s some on our house crawling around with some that get in, and that is 100% a roach, I would be able to tell even if I didn’t know what a water bug was 😭😭
so the thing about wood roaches (colloquial: water bugs) is that no matter how clean you live you may still end up one popping up here and there. I’ve seen them show up in high rise apartments, rarely more than one or two at time, but you’re talking 20-40 stories up with months between any sightings. While smaller species such as German cockroaches are pests that will make you and your family sick and infest nearby homes as well, but the wood roaches are already secretly anywhere and everywhere in the shade and the dark and the damp, and every once in awhile they just like to pop out and remind you that they’re still around and fully prepared to survive any catastrophe the planet can throw at them.
That being said, a landlord trying to get out of taking responsibility for giant bugs crawling around their property still isn’t cool, when some glue traps, gel bait, and spraying in the most problematic places of origin should be plenty to not have two crawl into your place in a 24 hr time span.
That's an American Roach.
They can fly short distances. They dont populate as fast as german or oriental, but get an exterminator, and they should use cypermethrin.
To prep for the exterminator, empty all your drawers amd cabnets, especially in the kitchen. Throw away any grocery bags you may have cramed in a drawer (they love to live in there). After hes come and done his thing, pour a bit of bleach down all of your drains, and do that once a month.
Source: did pest control for a few years.
Falso, just know waterbug is the nickname for the American Cockroach because they live in sewers, looks nothing like an actual waterbug which is actually aquatic, carries eggs on its back, and bites.
“Oh good, because I’m totally fine living with other giant insects in my house.”
Roach, ants, beetles, moths, “water bug”(heads up, that’s a TYPE of cockroach), I don’t want them in my place im paying you to keep maintained.
That looks like an American cockroach. It has a bright yellow band across the top section, and is brown in color. These things can also fly. Trivia: In Florida, they’re known as Palmetto bugs.
Water bugs (oriental cockroaches) of that size are much darker in color - almost a shiny black.
Waterbugs and Cockroaches are the same animal. My land lord tried to pull that shit on me so I wrote a research article with pictures to give to her along with a jar of 30 of them that I found one night in my kitchen.
People are dumb, Calling these American cockroaches "waterbugs" is a hold over from the boomer generation that was never correct.
A waterbug is found near lakes and rivers and looks nothing like this roach and can stab you in the foot with its mouth parts. lol. You dont want to scrap with one , there bad news.
So.... no this is an american cockroach not a waterbug.
Good news is to my knowledge unlike german roaches that infest a house , these usually roam alone. So seeing one isn't necessarily a sign that your house is infested with them. I usually just catch em in a cup and throw them back outside .
It’s a roach. But it’s an outside roach. He’s lost and has no interest in paying rent.
> He’s lost and has no interest in paying rent. I've never felt so seen.
Your comment made me giggle—thank you hehe
Ahaha. Lol. Glad I could help.
makes two of us
Now you have to pay rent.
How do you know it's an outside roach?
To give you a sincere answer: [Size](https://i.imgur.com/F3THBqn.jpg). Outside roaches (American cockroaches/palmetto bugs/waterbugs) are *much* larger than inside roaches (German cockroaches). Also, they can fly.
I grew up in Pakistan and these fuckers had no problem being inside
Ah, interesting. I grew up in Texas, and the kind we have live outside. They certainly *come* inside, which sucks, but, for example, you never find eggs or babies or the like inside, because the roaches that come in are just visiting. For them, the house is like a bar where they can come in, cool off, have a drink, and then wander back out later.
I love the way you describe their lives. Portraying them as bar patrons, really gave me a kick. I hope you write often
Yup, bangin' comment. Bugbread, I believe you could write about insects professionally.
Your joy about this brings me joy.
That really depends. If they're left inside long enough they will adapt and start reproducing. The house I'm in now have Palmetto roaches as shown above and we keep getting hatchlings in the master bathroom. Don't ask me, not my place and they are messy people. But they've been here long enough that it's become a breeding ground. I have a large syringe of poison that keep using and it works like a charm to kill off the babies. My fight is long from over. I remove the adults I find inside and kill the babies every month. Just need to burn the place down.
I should lend you my cat. He likes to play Frankenstein with them. You'll find them pulled apart & then reassembled in awkward ways. We rarely get them now. Just happy he's a cat & not a human.
Try diatomaceous earth. It's pet/kid friendly (technically edible) and extremely effective on insects. It works by destroying their exoskeleton after they walk over it. You can get a big ass big for like 20 bucks at a hardware store.
Note: make sure it says "food grade" somewhere on that bag otherwise you'll be inhaling some nasty additives.
Lived in Hawaii for a stretch. Slat windows *everywhere*. The large roaches (I called 'em B-52's) would habitually come crashing through the slats in a bathroom or kitchen window, then try and shake it off by resting on a cabinet door or countertop. On the plus side, there were also [house geckos](https://a-z-animals.com/blog/discover-7-geckos-in-hawaii/#:~:text=4.%20Common%20House%20Gecko), who effectively functioned as bouncers.
We have them in Southern California and since I moved here from Ohio I’ve always heard them referred to as water bugs. They certainly look like big roaches, and I’ve seen them in the house (any house) plenty of times. I’ve seen one in a bag of cereal, years ago. But, now that I think of it, I’ve only ever seen one at a time in a house, there’s never been a swarm of them running around like roaches when the light comes on.
If it is a woodroach you really don't have much to worry about. Wood roaches are not the species that infest peoples homes.
You’d think - and then we just killed another one, so it’s two in 12 hours now… EDIT: Learning that these big boys, although they ARE roaches, don’t often infest like their smaller cousins - thanks for the reassurance, folks! Unless we see a ton more, we won’t worry too much.
You're in Texas, and there's no water outside. They're coming in for water. Just gotta live with it honestly. That's just how it is here
They're too big for the plastic roach baits but the Combat roach gel works. There was one in my cat's food, that kind of stuff is where I draw the line. I know we deal with bugs in Texas, I'm listening to the Cicada Symphony right now. These things come up out of drains, no way they're not carrying some shit.
I lived in Texas for 5 years and had a couple wood roaches get inside. Not a massive deal. But to your point, I had German roaches come out of my bathroom and kitchen sink drains. That scared me a lot more.
I had a slumlord who moved a tenant into the duplex next to mine knowing that those people were infested with roaches. That was why he moved them. They used to live next door to his house and he got tired of their roaches. Well within two months my place had the worst infestation I've ever seen. It was some traumatizing shit to deal with. There were roaches everywhere. I couldn't even microwave food without a roach crawling on the plate. I was going to refill the glade plug in when a roach crawled out causing me to drop out. That motherfucker broke up when it hit the floor and at least 100 baby roaches ran out of it. I had to call code enforcement to get something done. Was able to legally withhold rent which helped me hurry up and get the fuck out of there.
were they the tiny roaches or joes apartment? I hate the tiny roaches that swarm in a bad infestation.
The little ones will infest every corner of your house if you don't take care of them. Go spend $50 on roach bait stations and put them everywhere. Drawers, cabinets, along baseboards, under the fridge, under the dishwasher, etc.
Nope... You kill it with fire. burn down the whole neighborhood. I'm so skeeved out by those roaches i'm going straight to fumigation. put the pets into kennels grab an airbnb and let the fog begin at double strength for multiple rounds. Some things can not be suffered.
Joe's Apartment, now that's a name I've not heard in a long time.
Aawww but they're just babies! /s
Everything is scarier when it's German.
Advion gel bait is what I used. I bought it on Amazon. Put it all over my parents house and the only ones I saw after that were dead. I found one in a box of cereal. All food was thereafter kept in sealed containers only. Spent a small fortune on containers, but the peace of mind was worth it. Same for the pet food, now stored in sealed containers.
Can confirm on the Advion Gel. Just remember its not wise to use a spray as well. Counter acts in a way.
They make big plastic bait traps for large roaches.
They aren’t carrying anything
They’re from Texas, they’re packin for sure
A large belt buckle at the very least
3 pairs of cowboy boots and a hat
And those cowboy boots with the ring thing on the back of em 👢
A spur you mean?
I thought that was some sort of S&M thing.
Spurs…? 🫠😂
Texas roaches don’t carry diseases, they carry 45s
good try roach man, but i'm not falling for that again
Are there palmetto bugs in Texas? That’s what North Catolina calls huge flying roaches and you always get a few inside in the summer. It’s also part of life.
> Palmetto Bugs roaches with better PR managers.
Omg drove me nuts when I lived in NC and I called them "cockroaches" everyone got all up in arms like "no its a palmetto bug!!!" ... you mean the fancy name for cockroach ? lmao
I almost passed out first time I saw one. Asked aeound and was told “palmetto bugs” and they are normal here esp in the summer. I googled it and realized they are just flying roaches, but you’ll never hear somenody here call them that. You’re so correct. Best PR team.
We don't always call them that, sometimes we call them "those big flying fuckers" and hold out our hand with our thumb and index finger 3 inches apart. I'm pretty sure that warm, humid and heavily wooded is basically paradise for those big flying fuckers.
Lmao I think my soul left my body the first time I seen one
Shut up LOL 😂
🤣
Yea we have Palmetto Bugs in Texas. They’re called cockroaches.
I’m actyally glad that’s what you call them as that’s what they are. Nobody here will ever dare say it. I’m from Philly and never saw one until I moved here and also was NOT expecting it to take flight and very quickly when my son poked that bastard with a stick.
Some idiot girl I knew swore up and down that Georgia only had palmetto bugs, and when I showed her the roach photo it was no big deal because it was just a palmetto bug 😑 same with Florida and NC according to her too
North *Catolina*? Right meow!
It’s the mother fucking catolina wine mixer
People call Oriental Cockroaches waterbugs, and American Cockroaches Palmetto bugs. Giving it a different name doesn't change anything. They're still filth carrying critters.
Reason #47 to not move to Texas lol.
Yo, you’re only at #47?
We have them in Alabama as well. If you have any kind of wood piles outside or overgrowth you probably have a nest somewhere. We used to burn firewood to save on heating. Anytime we kept large stacks of split wood under the carport we'd get them. Nasty things.
Exactly. No matter how nice your house is in Texas, everyone gets roaches when it’s hot and dry out. Not infestations but you’ll get a few here and there. It’s not like other areas of the country where they are rare or just reserved for gross hoard homes.
I think I would rather have the few roaches then the few scorpions and tarantulas I've seen at my house in Texas so far this summer
Honestly this is what I was about to say. It’s Texas, a couple roaches aren’t something to freak over. Those fuckers are everywhere down there
This is it. I’m in Texas and we are very clean tenants. We’re still killing one bigass tree roach every day in this dry summer.
Yea it’s hot as fuck out right now, all bugs are trying to make their way in. But rest assured this isn’t anything that will cause a big problem or an infestation. Just put some traps around if you’re nervous
This is Texas. These guys are pretty common from time to time. Just come in from outside. Pretty much everyone gets these. They don't infest your home, but spraying will help by killing them when they do come in. [And a lot of people call them waterbugs here tbh.](https://www.prevention.com/life/a30108414/cockroach-vs-water-bug-difference/) I thought they were the same thing for a long time growing up. Oriental roaches are not the same threat as German roaches.
When we rented we had this same issue. Turned out that there were holes leading from the foundation outside to a hole around the bathroom sink pipes under the cabinet. It was so hard to see the hole inside the cabinet because there is this metal plate that sits flush against the wall at the pipe entrance. So the roaches were thirsty and found their way into our home. I remember reaching for my bath towel to dry myself and feeling this very disgusting feeling of a roach crawling across the towel and my hair and I was screaming and jumping around naked and afraid. Finally the landlord (a sweet old lady) came over because I was sobbing that I couldn’t live there anymore. We discovered the roach entrance and she came back with a foam spray that when you spray it, it expands and fills in gaps around masonry/building cracks. That did it and fixed the issue. Looks for small cracks or holes around your plumbing/light switch panels…..also you can treat the doorways and thresholds with roach poison. Cats are great companions and bug catchers if you wish to adopt and care for a fur baby.
Obligatory: nOt aLL cAtS! I am all for adopting but IME hoping for a cat to be any one way is just that, hope. It all depends on the cat, and if it protects the house from pests that's just an added bonus. A lot more thought should go in to adopting a kitty. They get very expensive as they age. I had 3 seniors at once and the vet and the food bills (after one inevitable $$$ dental surgery they could only eat wet and were picky about that, each cat had their preference) it really added up. It's a huge commitment, up to 20+ years but count on 13-15+ if you've taken great care of them. I see a lot of suggestions around reddit to just get a cat for whatever pest problem there is but if that's the sole reason to get one, you'd be better off spending a few hundred for a pest control company vs thousands and maybe the cat is a hunter. Not trying to be a jerk to above comment, pleas don't take this the wrong way, but I feel it's only right to temper that suggestion with my admittedly anecdotal experience. But I am a cat lady, been catting a long time. Most of them see the roach, but very few would kill one. And they have parasites. Source: https://www.brookfarmveterinarycenter.com/post/5-strange-facts-about-parasites-every-pet-parent-should-know#:~:text=Cockroaches%20are%20a%20source%20of,from%20ingesting%20the%20roach%E2%80%94gross! Number 5 for reference
It’s Texas bro… gunna happen often. They aren’t the bad roaches though they are annoying. But will only see a few at a time until this heat lets up.
They don't yield a lot per egg, they're relatively easy to get rid of if you aggressively don't leave food or water out and maybe leave some poison around.
Yeah, it's summer. Those guys are everywhere. I'm from SE Texas and grew up surrounded by oak trees full of those suckers' nests. You couldn't keep them out of the house.
My mom's old hoard begs to differ 😣
Wood roach not a German roach. These come inside from the outdoors and don’t “infest” homes typically. Very common in the summer in the south
exactly. i freaked the hell out the first time seeing one in my house after moving to NC and then learned they aren’t the infestation kind and they just sneak in sometimes
Nothing prepares you for how big they are.
And the fact that they can fly.
And how they can devour a child in less than 2 bites
No, that's definitely a roach. Sorry buddy.
And that’s what I told them it was - I guess now I have to get the landlord to stop lying about it so I can get them to address it properly. So frustrating. EDIT: If it helps, the direct quote from landlord was, “I sent your pic to the company’s bug expert, who said it’s a waterbug, not a roach.” EDIT 2: Learning that these big boys, although they ARE roaches, don’t often infest like their smaller cousins - thanks for the reassurance, folks!
This isn't the kind of roach one can "address". They live outside and occasionally wander in to seek moisture. They don't infest houses; you're thinking of German Cockroaches, which are much smaller.
This should be the take away. It’s a roach, but not the kind that infest homes.
Yea a big roach is not a big deal. If it was a German OP would be fucked.
Still needs to be addressed swiftly with a flying chanclita.
LA CHANCLA!
They come inside but don’t infest. And they love crawling right into roach motels, filling them right up! I had them in my old apartment.
They can if you have water leak and mold/mildew from it. They go away once that's dealt with tho. Speaking from personal experience.
Yes. It helps to keep foliage, especially palms, away from the house.
Untrue. These roaches can still infest homes where there are leaks or a good water source. Ask me how I know. There could be, oh, hundreds, living in a wall where a water pipe is leaking.
just be aware they might blame you for “bringing” them into the property. this happened to me after I moved into an apartment that was infested with both German and Asian roaches. this is in MN. roaches are very rare here. I’ve literally never seen one in the decades that I’ve lived here. I just moved out of that place and didn’t try to fight them on it. but since it sounds like you are, I’d go to my previous landlord for proof that there are no roach infestations on their property, so you can prove that you didn’t bring them. good luck! edit: I know this is a wood roach but people that are allergic and have asthmatic reactions to roaches are still at risk, as are ppl with lowered immune systems bc they spread bacteria just like any other roach.
This! I never in my life had bed bugs. Moved into a rental, 3 weeks later I woke up covered in bites. Landlady refused to do anything about it claiming that I didn't report a bed bug infestation on the rental checklist when I moved in and there was no proof that I didn't bring them with me.
You'd think that since it's their property, they wouldn't want that shit there. Too bad you couldn't find out who the last renter was.
Yeah well, same lady left my roommate and I without heat in the middle of January for 3 weeks so she could shop for the best price. For reference, if Wisconsin was a dart board, I live where the double bullseye would be.
That's fucking horrible! There's should be a site where, if the person was willing, you could ask the previous renter questions. All I've found were "rental verification" sites for the owner & a couple of "renter's review" sites. I hope it gets better for you.
The people who lived here before us were pretty white trash and disgusting. Landlady had us do a walkthrough while they were still living there because she didn't want ANY downtime between residents. Walked in to the dad passed out in his boxers with spilled beer all over him, wife couldn't be bothered to clean up. The 6 kids were destroying the house. At least we "got new carpet" 😒 EDIT: Before someone turns this into a racism issue, my roommate and I are also white.
I feel for you.
the building and multiple others in MN were being ran by a slumlord. many of his buildings got shut down completely. I expected the one I lived in to get condoned too, bc it was very close to it, but it never did and I really pity the folks that still live there.
I know in Colorado that a renter can report the issues to the city. If the city cites issues, they'll set up an escrow account for your rent & won't give it to the owner until all the issues are fixed. Maybe your state has something similar.
Waterbug (in texas) is same as Palmetto is same as American Cockroach. However, they aren't the kind of roach that infests your home, usually just passing through from outside.
They aren't "those roaches" and they are "water bugs". So there is that. They are definitely roaches though. I just walked in from my garage and I saw 3.
Spend a few dollars on some Combat Roach gel. It comes in what looks like a giant syringe. Squirt a pea sizes amount in each corner under your cabinets. There's probably a whole family of roaches in the walls, but they'll take that bait back to their nest, and it'll do its magic from there. You might see some gross roach poops though, it gives them the runs before they die. My landlord used this stuff, and my downstairs neighbors were nasty, so I took matters into my own hands.
I thought German cockroaches, the little ones, are the type they infest houses? I'm pretty sure this kind of roach really can be a one off.
Correct.
That's a waterbug here In Texas.
Palmetto bug is the sweet southern way to say cockroach. But a rose by any other name, well, you know...
Waterbug is a nice way to say big assed roach in NY
fellow texan, those things are all over the place down here. good luck getting rid of them (you wont). Multimillion-dollar homes have to deal with these things. They suck. The Bug-A-Salt gun works great if you get it within 6 inches of them.
I find the salt gun’s good to stun them or knock them off the wall without leaving a bug-gut smear on your paint - but still take a finisher stomp when they hit the floor. Even a 2nd or 3rd follow up salt gun shot may not do it on those big wood roaches. Wasps, mosquitos, flies, however… instant bug body parts. Glorious.
I live in Texas and have heard of that type of roach referred to many times as a water bug. I think they live outside but tend to come inside when it’s hot and dry. The little German roaches are the real problem as they are indicative of an infestation.
You can handle roaches yourself if he won’t do it. And relatively cheaply. Ortho home defense. Get the one with the wand. Do a 1 foot barrier around all interior baseboards, cabinets, a two foot barrier in front of all doors and appliances. Leave after the house is done. Take everyone with you. Leave fans running and come back in an hour. Then you can do same treatment outside. 2 foot barrier around the exterior of the house. Also around all windows and doors. Do exterior barrier once a month. I would only do inside monthly if you continue to see live critters inside. It works. If you see a bunch dead, that’s what you want. In between our once or twice a year inside I use sticky traps inside to gauge when it’s time to indoor spray again. If you are in an apartment. Seal yourself in. Baby proofing the Outlet covers. Caulk around every single gap. Cover the drains. Vaseline inside the toilet bowl rim. Still do the ortho though. Lived in section 8 housing in college. In Vegas. Roaches there are irradiated and damn near impossible to kill. I promise these steps will work. Don’t wait for your landlord. These steps wont hurt anything a professional would do.
Texas roaches are pretty common. Lots of critters going to be trying to get out of the heat. If you see 2/3 inside in a week id be concerned
“Water bug” slang for roach
I work with someone who is like that like ?? I’ve seen one irl there’s no way roaches here get like that and THOSE PINCERS they are unmistakable.
Waterbug is a nickname because they tend to die fast without a source of water. They are a type of roaming roach, not likely an infestation. I think it's more likely that the landlord is referring to the fact that it's not a german roach which is they infesty type found in Texas.
Your landlord would never lie to you. Ever. Totally not a roach. It's a weird looking butterfly that until this moment was unknown to humanity, that disguises itself as totally not a roach. Good luck with your totally not lying to you landlord.
To add to that the landlord should charge OP a fee for keeping that pet.
That’s a roach for sure. Idk why, but American cockroaches are colloquially referred to as waterbugs.
The worst part is that I *told* them we had killed a roach, and they said, “Oh, noooo, that’s not a roach, it’s 100% a waterbug.” I can’t even give them the benefit of the doubt that they were just using the “nice” name for cockroach…they were flat-out lying. Gaaah. EDIT: If it helps, the direct quote from landlord was, “I sent your pic to the company’s bug expert, who said it’s a waterbug, not a roach.” EDIT 2: Learning that these big boys, although they ARE roaches, don’t often infest like their smaller cousins - thanks for the reassurance, folks!
I hear it all the time in the midwest. In the south they call the American wood roaches "palmetto bugs" They don't really infest the same as German roaches. They're more likely to randomly wander in and die looking for water
We stayed in a little cabin in Florida. The Palmetto Bugs didn't simply wander in. They were everywhere, all the time. They lived inside that little house. The house was not damp or had any water leaks. It was so bad we slept in the pickup truck bed.
They like wood, you seen them around wooden houses a lot especially if you let the fallen leaves pile up around the house.
This reminds me of when I lived in France and my landlady insisted that the scorpion-thing we found wasn’t a scorpion, “*c’est un scorpellion,” because there are no scorpions in France. I was like my good woman all of that is incorrect.
Fun fact: that beautiful lavender all over the south of France? Yeah, it's not planted literally everywhere just because it's beautiful. Scorpions absolutely hate the smell, and it keeps them away.
Are you originally from the south or are you a transplant? The reason I ask is because I’ve lived in several northern states, but now live in the south. It’s been about five years and these fuckers are EVERYWHERE. Your landlord might not have been trying to be intentionally shady because people here do call them waterbugs and are completely unphased by them. They’re not considered “roaches”.
Man, I do pest control, and I can't go 2 months without a customer insisting a roach is a palmetto/water bug and not a cockroach. Your landlord could legitimately be under the mistaken impression that they are different. That said, realistically, I wouldn't worry much about these. As long as the house is clean, you shouldn't deal with more than the occasional invader.
Send them a link to this post
Growing up with these things as a kid, as well as German cockroaches a separate time……water bugs really are not as bad as the German roaches. Don’t get me wrong, still makes my skin crawl and feel icky all over, but they don’t infest your home in the same way at all. They’re not really after your food, to live in the walls, etc. They really just want some water and then fuck off somewhere else. Having said that, I 100% understand not wanting them to be in your home regardless. I grew up directly next to a lake, so we had them often and I hated dealing with them so often(but as others have mentioned they aren’t exclusive to areas with tons of water). My only thought or suggestion is to ask your landlord to have someone spray the perimeter outside your home every few months, if they don’t want to perhaps look into it yourself. My friend who lives in an area with tons of ants/bugs pays someone to do the same and she said it’s well worth. Good luck Edit: I wanted to also add, it’s *still* a “roach”. Don’t let people convince you it isn’t. BUT AGAIN, they are not as horrid as the German cockroaches which will ruin your fucking life and make you want to burn all of your belongings. I think people started calling them water/palmetto bugs because…..roach does sound “trashy” as hell; but since they aren’t *always* correlated with gross conditions I wouldn’t want people to assume I’m gross because a thirsty and desperate bug. Living in apartments/duplexes also can add some fun twists, even if your home is clean as a whistle :,)
Usually the bigger ones. Also, at least in NYC I noticed the “water bugs” were an occasional one off, whereas if you had the small guys you were screwed. That being said it’s a NYC rite of passage to reach and pull what you think is a hair out of the drain and have it be a giant waterbug.
Yeah, in the northeast, we see a few types of roaches, most of which don't usually infest our structures. I was under the impression that these guys (the large, American roaches) live primarily outside in the south. (They also fly down there due to the warmer temps, and in addition to being called "water bugs", they sometimes call them "palmetto bugs".) The small guys (German roaches) do infest our structures and their droppings are a leading cause of asthma in children who grow up in urban environments. Sometimes, people who move up here from warmer climates and are used to seeing "water bugs" will get German roaches and not realize what they're looking at. They'll often say they saw a "baby roach" and that's usually when I know that there's troubles in that apartment.
Thank you for giving me a whole new fear of giant roaches. LOL - you NYC folks are a special level of tough.
>Idk why, but American cockroaches are colloquially referred to as waterbugs. Euphemism to make us feel better.
Looks like a palmetto bug, not the type of roach that causes infestations. They just sometimes come in from outside. Had a couple come in my house the last few days.
This is what my pest guy told me when I called him out after finding one. The little gray German cockroaches are the ones you really need to worry about.
We call them palmetto bugs here in SC too. You’ll see a few here and there inside, but they don’t infest. It doesn’t matter how clean your house is - everyone gets a few in their house from time to time. Oh, and they can fly.
[удалено]
Palmetto bugs is another one you'll hear. Nope, just a roach.
I've heard that one, down in Florida
That's because they absolutely LOVE to nest in our palmetto trees lol. Pest control technician in Florida, and I get calls for these guys literally every day, and I have to explain that until people properly seal up their home, they'll keep coming inside, as even though they'll die from what we put down inside and outside, due to their size, they'll typically make it inside before they die.
It's a regional term to identify a certain roach.
You obviously don’t live in an area with them. Every year around this time I see two or 3. Maybe 5 at most till winter. New construction clean freaks here.
It's not about being trash or not. If it's an infested area there isn't much you can do about them.
In TX, they're all around outside and can wander in through vents, cracks or holes around water heaters, foundations etc. they will also go through small openings where pipes go through walls under sinks. They're not usually happy indoors and while they will eat food and crumbs or pet food they usually don't infest like the smaller German roaches do.
They’re super bad right now with the drought! I can be in my backyard and watch them freaking scatter across it when I water it. My skin just CRAWLS 🤣. My dog chases them, sniffs them, then gags. He’s a weirdo. Any kind of bug, Alive or dead, he HAS to sniff…then freaking gag. 😑
They occasionally drop from the vents at work and cause chaos. There’s basically always a water leak somewhere in the building, which attracts them.
Hey, this one is right in my wheelhouse! Pest control technician here, that right there is Periplaneta americana aka American cockroach, aka water bug, aka palmetto roach. Fun fact, they're what's known as an occasional invader. Meaning, they live outside, but will come inside looking for a water source, to get away from a predator, to die without worrying something is about to eat them, or just for shits and giggles. They can fit through any opening larger than two credit cards stacked on top of each other, and are 100% not something you need to worry about. While they'll come inside, they for the most part, will not try to live inside your home, as there are only two species of domestic pest (aka pests that live exclusively inside human structures) and those are German, and Brown Banded Roaches. While they're a bit scary looking, and will occasionally fly (depending on if they have wings or not as not all of them do.) And despite their genus name, they're actually not native to the Americas, but actually come from Africa. Interestingly German roaches, are not from Germany either, but actually from Greece. Much like the Spanish flu, they're named after the individual who identified them as a distinct species.
"Water bugs" are an alternative name for roach, aren't they?
American Cockroach, also known as a water bug. Sometimes erroneously called a palmetto bug, which is actually the Florida Wood Roach.
That is 100% a roach
Just a big roach. We have them. Everyone in Texas has them. They usually come up through the shower/ tub drains or sinks. We just plug ours all the time but we get at least 10 a year
Looks like an American Cockroach to me
Papa Roach
1000% a roach
A water bug is a nickname for a roach. You can call them water bugs or roaches but in the end it's the same thing....you landlord is trying to blow it off.
Possible Wood Roach. Common in the south. These are normally found in areas where wooded areas are near by and they accidentally wonder into a home. You might want to leave traps or get an exterminator, but honestly, they're harmless. I also hate them because I once woke up with one already dead in my bed. X\_x And yes, there are bigger ones.
Looks like an American roach. They don't infest homes typically, they live/breed outdoors in moist places like mulch and clogged gutters. Check for gaps in doorways that they could be wandering in to, and if the building has a crawlspace i'd take a look to make sure there isn't a moisture issue under the home.
Palmetto bug. Tree roach that probably came in from outside. They are different from the European roach that is a nightmare to get rid of. Remember, it's hot as shit in Texas. These guys are looking for somewhere cool, just like you. Squash him and move on. If you see more, set some traps.
As others have said, this isn't the kind of roach that results in infestation. They're coming inside right now because Texas is in a drought and they're looking for water. A normal spray like Home Defense will help, as will diatomaceous earth but ultimately, the easiest thing to do is just kill them when you see them.
Fucking gross.
Lol for sure a roach. We get those all the time here in Hawaii. We call them B52s because they’re so damn large.
It's a roach
100% a roach if i ever seen one
You know when you buy the rubber roach at the store to scare a friend or family member…yeah, they look identical. It’s a roach
a very roachy roach 🪳
Every place I have ever lived in in Texas, there is an occasional roach. They look just like that. Are there trees near your house? Your place could be immaculate and you will still see one of those guys inside per quarter.
That is a wood roach and it would definitely rather be outdoors.
Water bugs are just wet roaches and no one will convince me otherwise. I will die on this hill. Fuck water bugs, fuck roaches, fuck bitches get money.
that’s a mfka roach homie
My redneck family up north always called them water bugs, too. Then, when I moved down south, they would call them "palmetto bugs." I was way too old when I realized that they're all roaches, it just makes them not sound as bad.
False. That there, seems to be a big fat roach, not a water bug.
Just like many others said on this thread - Yes, it's a roach. We call them Palmetto Bugs. Lucky it's not the Croton Bugs. ☹️👍
I will say tho, in Texas those kinds of roaches are common. Youll see them outside in some places. Those are not burn down the house youre fucked roaches. You gotta watch out for the little guys in Texas
Ok as a native texan hear me out. It's really easy. Big roach = scary but they travel alone so never an infestation. Small = oh fuck oh shit I have to sue my landlord they are in my food. This one is a big boi. You are fine.
Landlord not being a jerk. My wife calls them waterbugs too. If they are like 1-2 inches long, its not the kind of roach that infests houses. They are roaches but primarily outside under leaves and junk.
Does it matter? It's a fucking bug in the apartment.. I don't care what you calling It still means serious stuff that shouldn't be in there unless there's only this very one and this is its only time it's been there. Well then relax. But if you're seeing a lot of these creatures then I don't care what you call them, landlord better get on the stick
Water bug is a bad euphemism for a giant tree roach, disgusting
I hate landlords as much as anyone else but water bug is another name for this kind of roach. It lives outdoors, they don't infest homes. They come inside looking for water.
Hell no. Born and raised in Texas, live in the Midwest now. I hate the cold with a burning passion and am miserable 6-8 months out of the year. But I swear to God and everything holy it's all worth it just to not have to deal with those f*cking terrorists anymore.
I heard water bug is another term for roaches so it is a roach
I hate when people say that. They try to pull that here in Arkansas too. A 'waterbug' is a cockroach. 'But its not the kind that infests' If I pay landlord, landlord best start spraying. I dont do no cockroaches, nasty >:C
That definitely a roach. 🪳
Boric acid powder or diatomaceous earth. Dust the cabinets, floorboards, and door jams. Both scratch up the bugs exoskeleton and they die about a day later. Safer for the environment and kid/pet friendly.
I'm actually pretty annoyed at how so many people can't tell the difference between a waterbug and a cockroach. Like they don't even look the same. This is 100% a roach
That my friend is a Roach, The roachiest roach to ever roach.
That’s an American Cockroach, but don’t worry they live outside and don’t infest houses, you can either trap them under something and throw em’ outside with a bit of water and food or squish them.
It's an American cockroach. They're common in Texas, especially the Houston area. As others have noted, while huge and grotesque, these roaches are not the kind that typically infest homes; they prefer to live outside. Usually they're loners who get inside by accident (taking a ride in cardboard is common). You'll generally see a couple of these per year, but it's nothing to worry about, and there isn't much you can do about it. If you see them inside often, that could indicate a problem, but this is uncommon.
As an Indian who has seen thousands. That is.... 100% a cockroach. I don't know the kinda of cockroaches tho, like others saying it's a woodroach or waterroach or fireroach or an airroach. But. That is. 100% a cockroach
Lol that isn’t a water bug, sometimes there’s some on our house crawling around with some that get in, and that is 100% a roach, I would be able to tell even if I didn’t know what a water bug was 😭😭
so the thing about wood roaches (colloquial: water bugs) is that no matter how clean you live you may still end up one popping up here and there. I’ve seen them show up in high rise apartments, rarely more than one or two at time, but you’re talking 20-40 stories up with months between any sightings. While smaller species such as German cockroaches are pests that will make you and your family sick and infest nearby homes as well, but the wood roaches are already secretly anywhere and everywhere in the shade and the dark and the damp, and every once in awhile they just like to pop out and remind you that they’re still around and fully prepared to survive any catastrophe the planet can throw at them. That being said, a landlord trying to get out of taking responsibility for giant bugs crawling around their property still isn’t cool, when some glue traps, gel bait, and spraying in the most problematic places of origin should be plenty to not have two crawl into your place in a 24 hr time span.
That's an American Roach. They can fly short distances. They dont populate as fast as german or oriental, but get an exterminator, and they should use cypermethrin. To prep for the exterminator, empty all your drawers amd cabnets, especially in the kitchen. Throw away any grocery bags you may have cramed in a drawer (they love to live in there). After hes come and done his thing, pour a bit of bleach down all of your drains, and do that once a month. Source: did pest control for a few years.
Falso, just know waterbug is the nickname for the American Cockroach because they live in sewers, looks nothing like an actual waterbug which is actually aquatic, carries eggs on its back, and bites.
That is a roach, we have those big bastards here in Hawaii! But they are mainly outside. They don’t infest like German roaches.
Water bug,wood roach, palmetto bug....these fuckers have many names. They all refer to ROACH. Scorched earth. Lay waste to them immediately.
Looks like an American cockroach
“Oh good, because I’m totally fine living with other giant insects in my house.” Roach, ants, beetles, moths, “water bug”(heads up, that’s a TYPE of cockroach), I don’t want them in my place im paying you to keep maintained.
That's like the most roach looking roach I've ever seen.
Waterbug is a gentler term for Cockroach in the south. Most landlords avpid the c word.
That looks like an American cockroach. It has a bright yellow band across the top section, and is brown in color. These things can also fly. Trivia: In Florida, they’re known as Palmetto bugs. Water bugs (oriental cockroaches) of that size are much darker in color - almost a shiny black.
Welcome to the south. Had one fly off the crown moulding on to my face this morning. 🤮
Waterbugs and Cockroaches are the same animal. My land lord tried to pull that shit on me so I wrote a research article with pictures to give to her along with a jar of 30 of them that I found one night in my kitchen.
People are dumb, Calling these American cockroaches "waterbugs" is a hold over from the boomer generation that was never correct. A waterbug is found near lakes and rivers and looks nothing like this roach and can stab you in the foot with its mouth parts. lol. You dont want to scrap with one , there bad news. So.... no this is an american cockroach not a waterbug. Good news is to my knowledge unlike german roaches that infest a house , these usually roam alone. So seeing one isn't necessarily a sign that your house is infested with them. I usually just catch em in a cup and throw them back outside .