Palmetto bug also known as American cockroach or water bug is a member of the winged cockroach. Its scientific name is periplaneta Americana. A lot of these bugs are found in United States. Although they emerged in Africa but by the time a suitable name was given to them they had already spread themselves to the whole of America. Now they are found in almost all parts of the world be it Durban, Cape Town, New York, Montreal or Toronto. From this you may learn that they are found in cold places.
These bugs are big in size though their development is slow. They normally do not spread infestation in house, but if it’s really cold outside or if it’s raining then they may find shelter in your house. This is because they feel the warmth inside your house.
We can get rid of palmetto bugs either by the use of insecticides or by removing the food supply or by physically excluding them from unwanted areas.
Ways to get rid of palmetto bugs
There are many ways to get rid of these bugs. Some of them are as follows:
Diatomaceous earth: this is made up of silica and contains crystals in it. This crystal scratch the feet of palmetto bugs making them suffer dehydration and eventually death. All you need to do is to sprinkle this powder all over the area where you find these bugs and wait for their death. This powder is very useful in controlling almost all types of pests.
Borax: it is also known as disodium tetraborate or sodium tetraborate or sodium borate. It has got various uses as it is a salt of boric acid. Not only other pests but borax is also used to control and restrict the population of palmetto bugs. Borax is a very effective solution but unless and until it is kept out of the reach of your pet or small children as it can bring about various health hazards if consumed. Sprinkle borax in dark areas as palmetto bugs like to live there and also sprinkle it in cracks and holes as it is the place where these bugs can hide themselves.
Sweeping: Cleaning by sweeping will always keep all types of pests out of your house. You can also step on the bugs but that would make the area messy and there would be need to clean the area again. Vacuum cleaners can also helps with this respect. They can suck in the bugs and then you can throw them out of your house.
Starve the bugs: The best way to keep these bugs away is to keep them hungry. Clean your kitchen properly before going to bet. No food stuff should be kept outside. Dry your washed dishes before putting them in racks. You can also spray disinfectants all over the kitchen floor. By following the above ways you can easily keep these bugs out of your house.
Other methods which you can follow is to seal all possible holes and cracks, removing habitats, poisoning, etc. basically if your house is clean there is no chance for this bugs to stay in your house.