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Old 11-03-2010, 10:17 AM
 
Location: Northern VA
23 posts, read 86,030 times
Reputation: 17

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I can't believe you just wrote that! I was already having nightmares.

I'm no going to be sleeping under a net with ear plugs and shaving my head. (I have really long thick hair - or should I say HAD.) grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

All of my windows are screened, even my balcony is. I was looking forward to having the windows open this weekend b/c it's supposed to cool off, but maybe not.
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Old 11-03-2010, 10:34 AM
 
Location: Tampa
1,317 posts, read 2,307,759 times
Reputation: 508
Quote:
Originally Posted by martinigal97 View Post
I can't believe you just wrote that! I was already having nightmares.

I'm no going to be sleeping under a net with ear plugs and shaving my head. (I have really long thick hair - or should I say HAD.) grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

All of my windows are screened, even my balcony is. I was looking forward to having the windows open this weekend b/c it's supposed to cool off, but maybe not.
awe

Now I feel terrible. Have them spray and enjoy the weather! Just stay vigilant!
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Old 11-03-2010, 11:11 AM
 
Location: Myrtle Beach
3,381 posts, read 9,119,787 times
Reputation: 2948
I feel your pain. When we first moved into our place it was infested with Cockroaches... coming from Alaska... yeah it bothered us BIG TIME. Unfortunately pest service was not included in our lease, in fact it specifically states its our responsibility. DW began getting nervous twitches because of these things, she was way stressed out. After going through the house and filling every void, crack, crevice and gap to keep them out and having bug service we bombed the house. This seemed to work but I think they may be coming back in. Found a huge gap in the back of the house the goes from under the cabinets to the outside. Not much I can do to fill it to keep bugs out.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Maggi07 View Post
It's probably best to go with a professional exterminator over doing it yourself. They are more thorough.
I have to disagree. We had Orkin and they sucked terribly. They guy said that Palmetto bugs are just a way of life. Not really what you want to hear from the exterminator. He would say he did certain things, such as spray the eves, which he obviously didn't since there were hornet/bee nests still populated after he supposedly did so. If you get the right stuff you only need to do your house every 2 - 3 months. Its way cheaper and I know I do a better job than any pest service.

Quote:
Originally Posted by martinigal97 View Post
No, I am not from here. I just moved here from Northern VA and I grew up in Philly. I've seen 'normal' cockroaches before; the kind you find when you or your neighbors don't clean or the ones that hang out in the trashrooms in apt buildings.

I contacted my apt complex first thing this morning. Hopefully, they will send someone today.

I'm hoping I don't see these evil things more than occasionally. Otherwise, I will be sleeping with a can of Raid.
Flip flops do a good job on killing these things.... just make sure you snap your wrist at the end.... make sure you get that loud smack sound. I dislike them and no longer have a fear of them after being infested. DW on the other hand has finally gotten to the point of being able to kill them.... but they still freak her out.
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Old 11-03-2010, 02:07 PM
 
35,309 posts, read 52,274,165 times
Reputation: 30999
For those unfamilliar with the Palmetto bug heres a pic,the real bug would probably be about half the size of this pic..

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Old 11-03-2010, 02:58 PM
 
Location: Copiague, NY
1,500 posts, read 2,799,240 times
Reputation: 2414
Quote:
Originally Posted by martinigal97 View Post
OMG!!! Last nite I saw perhaps the biggest bug I have ever seen in my entire life - not kidding!!!! It scared the hell out of me - and it was clearly NOT afraid of me. It was in my kitchen, near the fridge just hangin' out and when I came in - it just sat there. Then later, I saw its little cousin in my living room!!! It took several attempts to kill it with my shoe.
These things look like cockroaches only MUCH MUCH bigger with very long attenae and creepy legs.

I ran to the grocery store at about 10:30 last nite to get bug spray and doused the kitchen. (Then I had to go outside b/c of the fumes. I may have over done it.)

I kept every light in my apartment on all nite and barley slept. As you can guess, I have a MAJOR bug phobia!

I just moved in and this is supposed to be a nice place. How can I already have bugs? Let alone mutant bugs?
Martinigal-

Follow this link and get relief as well as an expanded education.:


Please help - is this normal?

Pay particular attention to comment #3 on this thread.
And, STAY AWAY from those noxious bug sprays!
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Old 11-03-2010, 03:08 PM
 
Location: Northern VA
23 posts, read 86,030 times
Reputation: 17
The exterminator came today and sprayed. He said the Palmetto bugs, which I assume are called that b/c they are indeed the size of my friggin' palm, came to visit b/c it got cold last nite and they wanted to be in the apt where it was warmer. Joy.

Hopefully, they won't bother me again, but if they do, I will look into the boric acid solution. Thank you for suggesting it.
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Old 11-03-2010, 05:28 PM
 
503 posts, read 771,930 times
Reputation: 863
I hate em. Totally had one crawl on my leg one night in my sleep - thought I was dreaming. Until I flung it across the room and heard it hit the wall... Managed to fall back to sleep and that f**** bug CAME BACK. I woke up and it was on my neck. I spent the rest of the night on the couch - awake - and mad. I take out my anger on his poor cousins everytime I see one. Oh and welcome to FL...
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Old 11-03-2010, 06:20 PM
 
Location: Northern NJ
156 posts, read 485,811 times
Reputation: 141
Oh man...I feel your pain. I'm from NJ - we have no such mutant insects like that there. The first time I saw one I screamed at the top of my lungs. Seeing them fly is especially scary. They are gross, and huge, yes. They should make them the darn Florida state bird!!

The boric acid does work in my experiences. Also the sandal or shoe technique suggested above does a fine job as well LOL. It is true that they prefer the warmer temperature and also like the water a lot.

The good thing about Palmetto bugs though is that they have a very slow reproductive cycle infestations are uncommon. They are much, much easier to get rid of than those little German cockroaches you see up north a lot...where there's one, there's usually a whole bunch close by. Curiously I have never seen those here in Florida, though I imagine we have them since we have every other insect known to man LOL
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Old 11-04-2010, 07:06 AM
 
Location: Where ever you're at, that's where you are!
371 posts, read 1,190,596 times
Reputation: 223
Quote:
Originally Posted by jambo101 View Post
For those unfamilliar with the Palmetto bug heres a pic,the real bug would probably be about half the size of this pic..
No, no, I'd say that pic is about the right size of them. Maybe even bigger! I once threw my husbands shoe at one of them, and he (the bug) picked it up, put it on and waited for me to throw the other one!
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Old 11-04-2010, 08:05 AM
 
Location: Myrtle Beach
3,381 posts, read 9,119,787 times
Reputation: 2948
Quote:
Originally Posted by It's Cin! View Post
No, no, I'd say that pic is about the right size of them. Maybe even bigger! I once threw my husbands shoe at one of them, and he (the bug) picked it up, put it on and waited for me to throw the other one!

That's funny! They can be tough critters to kill thats why my preferred method is a flip flop with a nice snap in the wrist at the end.

DW said she saw 2 yesterday..... so they must be coming in due to the weather changing... joy. Anyhow I did my DIY bug service on the house yesterday. Outside, inside baseboard and roach bait in the cupboards.

Boric acid does work well. I have it sprinkled uner and behind my fridge and dishwasher. I also have a fine line of it in the back of my lower cupboards where food serving items are not stored.
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