How to Get Rid of Palmetto Bugs

You turn on a light in your house or apartment in the middle of the night and see something dart across the room in a flash. The motion catches your eye. You can tell that the creature is small but unsettling. You are likely dealing with a Palmetto bug.

What is a Palmetto Bug?

The Florida Museum explains that the term "Palmetto bug" is a regional term:

Palmetto bug is a regional term used in the Southern United States to refer to cockroaches or similar-looking insects. A few species of cockroaches that fall under the palmetto bug name are the American cockroach and the smoky woods cockroach. 

This means that the term Palmetto bug can be used to cover broad categories of insects that you might also hear referred to by other names. No matter how you refer to them, the most important thing is to understand that you need to eliminate them from your home as soon as possible. You can't let this slide or you may discover that your home quickly becomes overrun by Palmetto bugs. That is an outcome that everyone wants to avoid.

How You Can Tackle a Small-Scale Palmetto Bug Issue

A full-scale Palmetto bug infestation is NOT something that you can handle on your own. If things get out of control like that, you will need to call our team of experts at (561) 791-0263 to assist you in ridding your living quarters of these pests. However, you can take a few steps to reduce or eliminate the issue if it is still in its early stages. A few of the things you can do to help with this issue today include:

• Fixing Leaks - Even a small leak in the plumbing for your living space may be enough to start attracting Palmetto bugs. They thrive in damp, dark environments, and they will find where those environments are if you let them. Fixing the leaks that might exist around your home is a way to cut off the kind of environments that Palmetto bugs love.
• Seal Cracks - Palmetto bugs might be getting into your home via cracks in the foundation and other areas. You can purchase some sealant to reduce the chances that Palmetto bugs will slip into your home. This might prevent them from coming in, to begin with.
• Use Essential Oils Against Them - There are some everyday essential oils that you might have lying around your home that you can use against Palmetto bugs. For example, peppermint oil is known as a repellant for these bugs. If you happen to have some of that in your home, then you should spray it in heavy concentrations in the areas where you have seen Palmetto bugs. Make sure you use enough of it to repel them.

There are plenty of tried and true methods for eliminating a small-scale Palmetto bug problem. Given the natural revulsion that most people express when they see Palmetto bugs, you certainly want to make sure you get them out of your home as quickly as possible. You don't want anyone to think of your home as the kind of place where Palmetto bugs are setting up shop.