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Old 11-03-2010, 08:43 AM
 
Location: Northern VA
23 posts, read 86,061 times
Reputation: 17

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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?
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Old 11-03-2010, 08:51 AM
 
Location: Tampa
1,317 posts, read 2,310,268 times
Reputation: 508
Are you not from the southeast? That is likely a Palmetto Bug, It is a cockroach, but not the typical common cockroaches that are drawn to dirtyness that you may be aware of in other parts of the country.

They are large and scary. I am 6'2" 200 lbs and I am afraid of them (I Know I shouldnt admit that)

they typically live outside, but now it is cooling off a bit, you may find one in your apartment from time to time. Having one in your home in FL does not make you dirty! On rare occasions, those things will fly. Not off the ground, but one time I tried to knock one off a set of blinds and it flew at me. it was my first palmetto bug experience in GA.

I would say in the past 9 years living in GA and FL, I have only have maybe 7 or 8 inside experiences with them. You may see them outside fairly often.

Welcome to Florida!



From Wikipedia: (i'll keep the pictures out )

The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana), also known as the palmetto bug or waterbug,[1] particularly in the southern United States, is the largest species of common cockroach, and often considered a pest. None of the Periplaneta species are endemic to the Americas; despite the name, P. americana was introduced to the United States from Africa as early as 1625.[2] They are now common in tropical climates because human activity has extended the insect's range of habitation, and global shipping has transported the insects to world ports including the Southern United States, Tenerife, southern Spain, Greece, Taiwan, and Cape Town and Durban, South Africa.

American cockroach adults grow to an average length of around 4 centimetres (1.6 in) and about 7 millimetres (0.28 in) tall.[3] They are reddish brown and have a yellowish margin on the body region behind the head. Immature cockroaches resemble adults except that they are wingless.
The insect can travel quickly, often darting out of sight when someone enters a room, and can fit into small cracks and under doors despite its fairly large size. It is considered one of the fastest running insects.[4]
In an experiment carried out at the University of California, Berkeley in 1991, a Periplaneta americana registered a record speed of 5.4 kilometres per hour (3.4 mph), about 50 body lengths per second, which would be comparable to a human running at 330 kilometres per hour (210 mph).[5][6]
It has a pair of large compound eyes each having over 2000 individual lenses, and is a very active night animal that shuns light.

American cockroaches generally live in moist areas, but can survive in dry areas if they have access to water. They prefer warm temperatures around 29 °C (84 °F) and do not tolerate cold temperatures. In residential areas, these cockroaches live in basements and sewers, and may move outdoors into yards during warm weather. These cockroaches are common in basements, crawl spaces, cracks and crevices of porches, foundations, and walkways adjacent to buildings.
The American cockroach is a scavenger that feeds on decaying organic matter and a variety of other foods. It is particularly fond of fermenting foods.[7]
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Old 11-03-2010, 08:52 AM
 
Location: Saint Petersburg, FL
1,881 posts, read 3,608,515 times
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You can keep a lot of them out, but the occasional Palmetto Bug is pretty much a part of life here.

It's probably best to go with a professional exterminator over doing it yourself. They are more thorough. Even so, you'll likely see them once in a while. It might be a good time to work on your phobia
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Old 11-03-2010, 09:18 AM
 
Location: Northern VA
23 posts, read 86,061 times
Reputation: 17
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.
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Old 11-03-2010, 09:33 AM
 
Location: Tampa
1,317 posts, read 2,310,268 times
Reputation: 508
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.
haha- they probably laughed after they hung up the phone with you. They will send someone out to spray, but it wont do much good!

I am from Long Island, so I was in shock when I saw them too! Better get down to lifestyles in hyde park, get some good strong leg muscles- you are gonna be doing some stomping!

Id be suprised if you saw one a year in your home. Dont sweat it
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Old 11-03-2010, 09:35 AM
 
Location: Northern VA
23 posts, read 86,061 times
Reputation: 17
Well, I saw two last nite - does that mean I'm covered for two years?!? (she says hopefully)
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Old 11-03-2010, 09:37 AM
 
27,231 posts, read 43,956,177 times
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Like CraigM said, wait until you see one fly! A friend of mine nearly ran through a closed sliding glass door after her first encounter. Thankfully Palmetto bugs are rarely found indoors and would guess it probably got in through an open door or window.
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Old 11-03-2010, 09:40 AM
 
Location: Northern VA
23 posts, read 86,061 times
Reputation: 17
Ya know, I think I could go my whole life without seeing that.

I'm glad to hear these things are rarely indoors. It means I can stay and enjoy the Flordia sunshine.
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Old 11-03-2010, 09:48 AM
 
Location: Tampa
1,317 posts, read 2,310,268 times
Reputation: 508
Quote:
Originally Posted by martinigal97 View Post
Well, I saw two last nite - does that mean I'm covered for two years?!? (she says hopefully)
Wait until you wake up with one crawling up your face, or one flies at you and gets stuck in your hair!

now that I have completely freaked you out- I am joking. The try to avoid humans, not that they are scared, but they will usually run FROM you if you go near one.

Get your place sprayed and dont leave unscreened windows or door open. I never see them, but i ALWAYS run my AC or heat. it keeps my place dryer. They hate the dry.
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Old 11-03-2010, 09:49 AM
 
5,453 posts, read 9,306,789 times
Reputation: 2141
hahahahahahaha

WELCOME TO FLORIDA!
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