Learn why the rain drives south Florida roaches indoors in our video:
When Florida Rains Start, Cockroaches Get Moving
It’s a very familiar scene for a lot of south Florida homeowners. A summer storm rolls through, and afterwards cockroaches are spotted in common locations: kitchens, bathrooms, garages, porches and lanais. This isn’t a coincidence and the roaches didn’t appear from nowhere. During Florida’s summer storm season, roaches or “palmetto bugs” are tied to weather patterns. While some Florida towns have been known to celebrate a roach or two, most residents of the Sunshine State aren’t as happy or welcoming at their appearance. In this blog post, we’ll discuss just why heavy rains cause roach sightings, which roaches are the most common ones to look for, and what homeowners can do to prevent them from coming inside their homes.
Why Summer Rains Drive Cockroach Activity
Roaches will live and nest both indoors and outdoors and are known to be very adaptable. Indoors, they prefer to nest in dark and hidden corners of your home that are close enough to moisture: behind walls, inside cabinets, underneath plumbing fixtures. Outdoors, roaches also prefer cozy, hidden spots to nest, but heavy rains can flash- flood some of their favorite harborages: sewers, tree holes, mulch and debris piles, etc. When this occurs, the roaches seek higher and dryer ground: your home. Researchers from the University of Florida reveal that heavy rains can drive many pests, including roaches, indoors.
What Are The Different Types Of Cockroach Species In Florida?
There are few different species and types of roaches that are common to Florida, including some that are more associated with outdoor or indoor environments. These include:
- 1. American cockroach, aka palmetto bug: These are the large, reddish brown variety that can glide or fly, which adds to homeowner panic and disgust. They’re often found around garages, drains, landscaping and generally damp areas.
- 2. Smoky brown cockroach: These are similar in size to palmetto bugs but have a darker color. They’re more commonly associated with mulch and damp leaf piles as well as palm trees and other trees. From tree harborages, they can access rooflines and enter homes through soffits, eaves, and vents.
- 3. German cockroach: These are smaller roaches that are primarily indoor pests, but increased outdoor pressures can exacerbate indoor activity. They’re commonly found in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, basements and closets. Ongoing sightings of German cockroaches generally indicate an indoor breeding site and not storm visitors.
How Various Cockroaches Get Into Florida Homes
Roaches aren’t diggers or chewers like some pests are. They’re opportunistic scavengers that scatter, explore and probe from a home base nesting spot. They get into homes via gaps or cracks large enough for them to slip through. Common entry points include:
- Gaps under doors and thresholds
- Window and door frames
- Garage door seals
- Pet door seals
- Foundation cracks
- Utility line entrances
- Soffits, eaves, vents in roof and ridgelines
- Drains
This helpful Southern Living article provides some helpful tips for sealing off and keeping roaches out of your home.
Effects and Risks of Roaches
While cockroaches are only known to bite in very rare instances, they can be dangerous to humans and pets in other ways. They can carry disease and allergens that pose varying health risks, and any surface they’re in contact with is potentially contaminated. Roach poop or feces can appear like small, pepper-like flakes for smaller roaches and for larger roaches, it can appear like larger cylindrical “pellet” droppings. Roaches also shed their skins and legs, which can trigger allergies and asthma. They also secrete a foul smelling, oily liquid that they use for communication and self-defense.
Homes and Restaurants Face Similar Pest Pressures
Besides moisture and dark shelter, roaches that have moved indoors need one additional element for survival: food sources. This is where both residential homes and commercial kitchens and restaurants face similar pest pressures, particularly from roaches. As mentioned before, roaches are opportunistic scavengers and are not known as picky eaters. They’ll take advantage of any crumbs, spills or residues left on surfaces or un-sealed packages or containers of food. The availability of food with the various water and drain lines found in kitchens make roaches a top restaurant nemesis.
How To Prevent Cockroaches After Summer Rains
The best methods to prevent roaches from invading your home after summer rains are preventive and occur BEFORE it rains. Some common basic steps you can take today include:
- Trim back bushes and mulch a few feet from the home perimeter
- Trim back tree branches from over the roofline
- Fix leaky hose bibs
- Clean gutters
- Remove any standing water
- Clean up lawn debris and leaf litter
- Seal gaps and cracks in the foundation and exterior entries (doors, windows, etc)
- Replace worn or cracked door sweeps and/or thresholds
- Remove trash regularly
- Clean up countertops and tables to remove food residue
- Seal up food and pet food in proper containers
- Repair leaky plumbing
When To Call For Professional Roach Control
Of course, sometimes despite best prevention efforts, roaches still appear inside Florida homes. If sightings are one-offs or irregular, there may not necessarily be a problem (yet) to worry about. However, increased sightings or signs of roach activity generally indicate more serious problems that homeowners might want to call a professional for. These signs include:
- Repeated sightings after rain
- Sightings during the daytime
- Smaller roaches (German cockroaches) in the bathroom or kitchen
- Roach droppings or sheddings (skin, wings, legs)
- Roach sightings in multiple locations
- Increased allergic or asthmatic reactions from unseen triggers
In these situations, DIY sprays will generally not solve the problem as they don’t impact nesting and breeding sites, just surface-level roaches. Professional treatments will address the problem along multiple angles:
- Nesting/breeding site location and elimination
- Targeted baiting
- Targeted surface treatments and cleaning
- Perimeter checks and entry sealing
- Ongoing detection and follow-up visits.
Here at Nozzle Nolen, we have decades of experience with the local pest populations and know how weather and climate patterns influence their behavior and activity. If you suspect you are facing a roach infestation, we can help with our leading residential pest control programs. You can also visit our website to schedule a free home inspection and consultation today.
