American Cockroach or Palmetto Bug

The American cockroach and sometimes called the Palmetto bug, water bug  or the flying bug, they can live approximately a year to a year and a half. It is reddish-brown, with a pale brown or yellow border on the upper surface of the pronotum. They can get up to 1-2 inches in size. There are contest for the largest American cockroach.They can survive one month without access to water and go 2-3 months without eating.

American cock roach egg capsules 

An adult female will produce between six and 14 egg cases.  She will produce an average of 150 young in her lifetime. They will usually plant their egg capsules in cracks and corners. The American cockroach adults and young nymphs in all stages of growth have similar appearances.



They usually prefer the dark moist areas like basements, bathtubs, floor drains and sewers. They more commonly congregate in open spaces instead of small crack and crevices. I remember Picking up a towel on a washing machine in a customer’s house and about 10 roaches ran out.

American cock roach food


American cockroaches feed on a variety of foods, but decaying organic matter seems to be preferred. They also feed upon book bindings, manuscripts, clothing and glossy paper with starch sizing. Adults are attracted to light. Adults and nymphs can be found in a variety of places.  Environmental factors such as temperature and humidity can increase or decrease the developmental time of the American cockroach.

American cockroaches, thought to have originated in Africa, Have actively co-habit with humans and adapted their behavior accordingly. The control of The American cockroach depends on using certain baits and outside granular treatments. As it is with the German roach, follow up is always a key factor in the exterminating of American cock roach.

Most Exterminating company will give you a free inspection and a free estimate for pest control of any cockroach. There is always the do it your self stores who can recommend the baits, chemicals or traps to use when trying to eliminate the American cock roach. 

How to kill Roaches Naturally

How to kill Roaches Naturally and safely

When I talk about how to kill roaches naturally, I am not sure of too many ways to do that with out taking a fly swatter and just killing them when you see them. I think that the most effective way to control roaches is to be preventive. We can call this cockroach control. Roaches especially German roaches can enter the home in so many different ways.

1. Lunch boxes from your children’s school.
2. Groceries, potatoes, various boxes.
3. Boxes from stores.
4. They can actually ride in on your clothing.
5. They can also fly in, especially the American cockroach.

How to kill Roaches Naturally and How can we be preventive in our roach control?

I made a list of how to keep roaches out of your home or structure.

1. Weather-strip.
2. Repair holes around water pipes, baseboards, doors and windows.
3. Put screens over windows, vents, floor drains and ducts.
4. Store food in sealed containers.
5. Remove old boxes and papers.
6. Keep areas outside your home free of trash, wood piles and leaves.
7. Use sticky (glue) traps to find areas where roaches may be hiding.
8. Use a trash can with a tight lid.
9. Avoid placing your trash can under the sink.
10. Rinse beverage and food containers before you recycle or throw them away.
11. Fix leaky faucets and drains.

How to kill Roaches Naturally and Keep Them Out of Your House

All the above is just a few of the ways to keep roaches out of your house and how to kill roaches naturally Remember if this fails you can always call in a professional pest control company. There are many out there, the names of a few are Orkin, Terminex, Truly Nolen. And of course the local pest control companies. Good luck in your ventures on learning how to kill roaches naturally. John