Tree roaches (Austin, Mart: apartments, homes, buy)

[Miaiam]

Austin is a fantastic city, but I had a hard time with the roaches. One night my husband woke up and found SEVEN of them in the bathroom, which fyi was cleaned every day. I saw them on the walls, on the floor, in the dishwasher, in the sink, basically everywhere, and they were ENORMOUS and freaked the hell out of me. Luckily, no other critters whatsoever, like scorpions or snakes, though. I had the apt sprayed by pest control, but no help at all. The only thing that worked for me, partially, was to seal the cracks where they could go through and spray the kitchen, bathroom, doors and windows outer areas with insect poison. Good luck!

[AGA]

Typically in an apartment, it is other tenants being less than diligent about trash, etc...
That would have freaked me out, totally!

[shaxs]

Originally Posted by Crewer

Cicadas are not the same. They don't even resemble roaches. The tree roaches, though a nuisance in the house, are drawn to water. They don't necessarily want to be in your house. The little critters are thirsty, lost, and bewildered...and of course, gross looking. Oh, and they fly, usually when you're least expecting it.

Back in 1984, I moved into a house in Hyde Park that was infested with all types of roaches. My house mate, being a native Floridian seemed to be oblivious to them. Me, the Yankee, was appalled. Every night I would flip on the kitchen light and see them scurry across the counter. The pantry smelled of roach dung (yes, there is an odor), roaches would fall on me whenever I opened the pantry door, and I even found them inside the refrigerator!

I tried all sorts of sprays, but nothing seemed to work, until I bough the roach powder. I cleaned the kitchen from top to bottom, spread roach powder under shelving paper and around the perimeter of the shelves, across the top of doorway frames, under and behind the frig and stove, and anyplace where I suspected they were entering or living. Amazingly enough, within two weeks, they were gone! Never encountered another one while living there.

Now that rat situation was a different story.

Welcome to Austin, ya'll!

Ah okay, Well cicadas scare the crap out of me Te ones I remember were white with black spots. Then again, I was in 2nd grade when we left Texas, so maybe my overactive imagination remembers them wrong.

[CGriswald309B]

well, I hadn't seen any since I posted last...but tonight I opened up my cupboard and there it was sitting on top of my popcorn...I really don't know what the hell I can do...my kitchen is spotless

I'm gonna have to talk to the people on the other side of the house...this is freaking me out big time

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by CGriswald309B

well, I hadn't seen any since I posted last...but tonight I opened up my cupboard and there it was sitting on top of my popcorn...I really don't know what the hell I can do...my kitchen is spotless

I'm gonna have to talk to the people on the other side of the house...this is freaking me out big time

I had the same problem last year.
They started coming in May and kept coming back throughout the summer.
We had poison applied and re-applied but it did not help much. One would show up every few days - at least. At first, I was entirely freaked-out and thinking that there was something wrong with my house. I talked to neighbors who had lived there for many years and they told me that it was a common problem - especially in wet years - but the roaches don't live inside houses and it doesn't seem to matter how clean the house is - they still come. In my own research, I learned that the roaches are primarily after water that they can find in houses.
I bought a poison spray that kills on contact - but I hate using it (it works very well - but we have pets to consider). I also stopped getting the pest control treatments.
This year I have seen only one so far - much less than at this time last year.
Seems to be a fact of life in the areas with mature trees and near water sources.

[escantrell]

Just moved to Texas from Oklahoma City where the ONLY people who got roaches were less than clean, if you know what I mean. However, those HUGE tree roaches, do not happen in because of filth, but instead because of water. Do you have any palm trees around your home. They live in them. We actally live on Padre Island and I have my house sprayed every three weeks. Locals told me that every quarter would be fine....but I think they must be used to them. Ugh!!! I can't stand them! Apparently, everyone here gets them because of all the water. (shudder)

[muddaerf]

Originally Posted by CGriswald309B

I can deal with spiders, snakes, fire ants and even fleas, but I cannot live with roaches.

hahaha, this made me laugh.

I live in Cedar Park near the hill country and thankfully I've never seen a scorpion in our house or even roaches for that matter. We make sure to keep the weep holes plugged in our siding. I do recommend Bulwark pest control, then again you don't seem to mind the other nuisances so it may not be worth it for you, cost-wise, to do a full-on pest control service just for roaches.

We pay $70 every other month and they use an all-natural chrysanthemum concoction that is non-toxic and doesn't harm pets/people/grass/plants, etc. When they come in for their first visit they will put the stuff in your electrical outlets to kill anything in the walls, then they spray 6 ft. out around the perimeter of your house - anything crossing that barrier will die (eventually). We have had some huge ants (I believe they're fire ants) come into our house but they are all dead once they get in. They also make sure your weep holes are plugged effectively and if they're not they'll fill them in for you.

In any event, if you continue to see roaches at that point you just call them out and they will service your house again free of charge or spray in any areas where you have infestations (I found carpenter ants in our fencing and they were out that afternoon to spray). Then they do the perimeter spray every other month.

If money is no object and you hate roaches that much, you may consider it worth it. I will say that we have been very happy with their service and the level of pest control.

BTW - does anyone have a picture of these horrendous tree roaches? I don't think I've ever seen one.

[CGriswald309B]

thanks muddaerf, I will definitely consider calling those guys...someone did come and spray for fleas about a month ago (all-natural chrysanthemum concoction) and it worked for the fleas

[ilmd]

Have you got rid of those gross things yet? As someone said, they want food/water. Make sure all the pipes under the kitchen/bathroom sinks/bathtub are not leaking at all- any moisture that is there will attract them. I just posted some info for the person who is afraid of scorpions- Diatomaceous Earth- the food grade kind. Get a couple pounds of it, sprinkle it EVERYWHERe you can reach! Outside, around the perimiter of the house also. The garage. In the flowerbed- they love to live in the low groundcover.Sounds like you are already infested and will have to use chemicals at first to kill what is already there. I absolutely hate bugs! Will pet a lion, hold a python.... but bugs...ugh. Good luck.

[romesq]

That's what we call those big rascals here in New Orleans. Unlike the smaller roaches (Asian, German) these guys are NOT indicative of unsanitary conditions. They live primarily outside and come in thru cracks, open doors/windows, etc.

Yes, they are huge -- usually 2-3 inches, and they do indeed fly. When we get one inside our home, the cats think we've brought in a special bug just for them and they chase it and torment it until it does not move anymore. Then, they lose interest and leave the body lying in a prominent spot where I am likely to step on it with a bare foot. Yuck! Worse thant stepping on one of their hairballs!

Bengal Roach Spray will wipe out all roaches. Certainly isn't "green" but it will nuke the bugs, especially if you end up with an infestation and have company coming. Perhaps you should get a couple of cats instead and consider the big "tree roaches" their entertainment . . .