Bug wild: 2 Florida spots in top 10 on list of US cities with worst cockroach problems
They're the stuff of nightmares. Creepy, crawly and disgusting, cockroaches invade lawns, gardens and homes across America. Cockroaches can move up to three miles per hour and live without food for a month, according to USA TODAY. Some can even fly!
Even worse, once inside a home, roaches pose a health hazard. They spread diseases, like salmonella, and their feces, shed skins and body parts can cause mild to severe allergic reactions.
They're adaptable and live just about everywhere, except Antarctica and because Florida boasts a warm and humid climate, it's cockroach season year-round in the Sunshine State.
But some cities have more of a roach problem than others, according to a new list by Pest Gnome ranking the 25 "roachiest cities" in America, and two Florida cities are among them.
Florida's 'roachiest cities'
Tampa was tops in Florida and third on Pest Gnome's list overall after ranking third in share of homes with signs of of cockroaches in the past 12 months, sixth in historical average number of extremely hot days and 22nd for pest control workers per 10,000 households. Miami was 6th overall, ranking sixth, eighth and 17th in the same categories.
'Roachiest cities' in America list
According to Pest Gnome, these are the "roachiest" cities in the U.S.:
Houston
San Antonio
Tampa
Phoenix
Las Vegas
Miami
Atlanta
Birmingham
Dallas
Oklahoma City
New York
Richmond
Los Angeles
Washington
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Riverside
Chicago
Minneapolis
San Jose
Boston
Detroit
San Francisco
Rochester
Seattle
What kinds of roaches are found in Florida?
These cockroaches are most commonly found in Florida:
Florida woods roach
American cockroach
Smoky-brown cockroach
Brown cockroach
Australian cockroach
German cockroach
Asian cockroach
The larger American, Australian, brown and smoky-brown roaches measure 1.25 to 2 inches long and are often called palmetto bugs, according to University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences extension service. German and Asian cockroaches are smaller at 0.5 to 0.65 inches long.
What is the fear of roaches called?
The fear of cockroaches is called katsaridaphobia. According to Psych Times, those suffering from katsaridaphobia can experience extreme anxiety when roach is near, or by just thinking of them.
What attracts roaches to a clean house?
Moisture, untidy landscaping, food sources and easy points of entry can attract roaches to even the cleanest home, according to pest control company Terminix.
Keep in mind, roaches will eat just about anything, including cardboard boxes, pet food and hair.
Will baking soda kill roaches?
Baking soda mixed with powdered sugar is one way to kill roaches. Once the pests have consumed the mixture and drink water, their insides bloat, killing them.
Even more effective is a mix of one part baking soda and three parts boric acid, according to a 2013 study.
How to get rid of roaches
Cockroaches have been around for at least 200 million years, with roach fossils dating back as far as 350 million years, but there are ways to control and prevent infestations. UF's IFAS extension service recommends using an integrated pest management (IPM) approach and says only using chemicals can result in roaches becoming resistant.
According to the University of California, IPM is "an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties. Pesticides are used only after monitoring indicates they are needed according to established guidelines, and treatments are made with the goal of removing only the target organism. Pest control materials are selected and applied in a manner that minimizes risks to human health, beneficial and nontarget organisms, and the environment."
IFAS recommends the following exclusion and prevention measures:
Exclusion
German cockroaches can initially infest a structure when infested grocery bags are brought inside. Inspect groceries for cockroaches before storing. Keep grocery bags in outside storage areas.
Cockroaches breed prolifically in corrugated cardboard boxes. Discard unnecessary boxes immediately.
Keep doors and windows shut.
Keep window and soffit screens in good repair to prevent cockroaches from entering your home.
Check attic vents and make sure that large openings around outside drainage lines and sewer vents are screened or sealed. Use tightly packed steel wool as a temporary filler until openings can be sealed properly.
Caulk or otherwise seal cracks and gaps around frames of doors and windows and around plumbing and electrical to help prevent cockroaches from entering your home.
Seal gaps between door frames and doors with weather stripping.
Children can transport cockroaches from school to home in book bags and lunch containers. Inspect these items regularly.
Dwellings such as apartments that are separated by a common wall are particularly difficult situations. An infestation can migrate between apartments via the plumbing within a common wall. Therefore, cockroaches from one apartment can easily migrate to another apartment, infesting a "clean" dwelling. To help prevent this, caulk holes in common walls and around plumbing.
Prevention
Repair plumbing leaks by tightening connections or patching leaky pipes, especially in kitchen and bathroom areas.
Do not let water stand in sinks for long periods of time.
Do not overwater indoor plants because accumulated water will be available to cockroaches.
Empty pans under refrigerators used to catch water from condensation.
Be aware that pet drinking dishes, aquaria and pipe condensation (under sinks, in wall voids) can also be sources of moisture.
Eliminate places outside where water can collect, such as cans, tires and tree holes.
Do roaches fly?
All roaches have wings and even though they do it rarely, they can fly.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Tampa is Florida city with most roaches. Here's U.S. a list
