How to Kill & Prevent Palmetto Bugs

Palmetto bugs are basically cockroaches, but which kind varies depending on where you are. Like any roach, these bugs come inside looking for a snack and warm place to hide out, and they can carry nasty diseases and contaminate your food. Not to worry, though. With a little know-how, you can kill palmetto bugs and send them packing.

Palmetto Bug vs. Cockroach

A palmetto bug is a term commonly heard in the Southeast that refers to several different species of cockroaches. In South Carolina, the term palmetto bug usually refers to the smokybrown cockroach, but Floridians are usually referring to the Florida woods cockroach. The American cockroach is also sometimes called a palmetto bug.

All cockroach species referred to palmetto bugs are about the same size, about 1 or 2 inches long, and have wide, glossy bodies, and are all various shades of brown and reddish-brown. Several of the species, like the smokybrown cockroach, can be found in palmetto trees in the Southeast (hence the name). One cockroach you won't confuse for a palmetto bug are German cockroaches—they're smaller roaches, and usually lighter in color.

Where Are Palmetto Bugs Found?

Palmetto bugs like moist, humid areas. Although most palmetto bugs actually prefer the outdoors, you'll find them in your home in places like your bathrooms, attics, crawlspaces, and kitchens in areas under sinks, behind dishwashers, and under refrigerators. Outdoors you'll find them around septic tanks, trash bins, and in mulched gardens, leaf litter, and trees.

Palmetto bugs are drawn to two things: food and shelter. They're looking for food, and your trash is probably full of it. Exact food preferences can vary depending on the species of roach you're dealing with, but all of them eat human foods, making your kitchen a welcome place if you're not careful. 

These roaches aren't just looking for food, though. They also love areas of clutter that provide a safe place where they can hide out. Those piles of paper or cardboard boxes can make an inviting home for these bugs, along with many others. You may notice more palmetto bugs in winter months as they sometimes come inside to find shelter from colder temperatures.

Health Concerns

Just like cockroaches, palmetto bugs can pose health risks. They can spread several harmful pathogens, including salmonella which can contaminate food. As they walk across your counters and floors, they leave behind feces and sheddings that can cause allergic reactions and asthma attacks in some people. Palmetto bugs have also been known to bite people, which can cause skin irritation (while serious reactions are rare, consult with your doctor immediately if you notice any unusual symptoms).

6 Ways to Keep Palmetto Bugs Out of Your House

Keeping palmetto bugs out of your home is mostly a matter of keeping things clean, sealing up entry points, and using pest control products to create a barrier before they can get it.

1. Seal cracks and holes around your home's foundation.
2. Repair tears in window screens.
3. Seal any gaps around doors, windows, and attic vents.
4. Create a barrier around your home by treating windows, door casings, and along baseboards with Ortho® Home Defense Max® Indoor Insect Killer with Extended Reach Comfort Wand®. On indoor non-porous surfaces, it will continue to protect against cockroaches, including palmetto bugs, for up to 12 months.
5. Make your home less appealing to palmetto bugs by eliminating their food source. Clean up spills and crumbs in the kitchen, keep food in tightly sealed containers, and empty the garbage regularly.

Keep Palmetto Bugs Out of Your Garden

You may be prioritizing keeping these nasty bugs out of your home, but your garden can also become a hiding spot for palmetto bugs. Once they get into your garden beds, they're just a jump and skip away from the inside of your home.

The good news is that your perfectly maintained garden bed is just as appealing to a palmetto bug as the overflowing dumpster down the street would be for you. However, excessive mulch is especially attractive to palmetto bugs, so maintain your mulch at the proper 2-3 inch depth and don't pile it against the foundation of your home. Also, don't leave your pet's food and water outside. If you have a problem with palmetto bugs in your landscape, control them with Ortho® Home Defense® Insect Killer for Lawn & Landscape.

Like other roaches, palmetto bugs are nasty, but preventable, pests. For more information, read the article Signs You Have Cockroaches.