[Yavel]

Has anyone else been plagued by these things lately?

I've been seeing one or two every day for the past week. I guess they must love this hot and humid weather, but I've never been visited by so many of these things before. Wtf?

[Idlewild]

They're usually in the cellars where it's damp. Glue boards should work somewhat. Or a feisty cat. Maybe a lighter and a spraycan of Lysol.

[Livetotravel]

Don't sugarcoat your problem - you have an infestation of the American Cockroach! (called Palmetto bugs only in the South). Loves warm, moist environments.

Get thee to the store to buy cockroach hotels.
_________________
But that's impossible.

http://unratedunfiltered.com/

[Carmen]

even in the south we called those roaches. Only the "rich" people had "palmetto bugs" or "water bugs."

they're roaches, plain and simple.

[quijibo]

when i lived in florida
we'd call them palmetto bugs

i saw one this morning in the hallway, as i was leaving for work
looked just like this:

upside down and dead -- just the way they should be

they love this weather

[Yavel]

I'm not sugar coating the problem, but I think there should be some way to distinguish between the mildly disgusting small things that live in colonies, and the HUGE loner things that come up out of the bowels of the sewers and will FLY right at you kamikaze style.

[Guest]

Saw one of these in my ground floor sublet as I stumbled into the bathroom at 4am. At first I thought it was a giant cockroach. Whatever it is, its super fast - it was running all over the place and I had to jump out of the way in my flip flops. In the morning it was dying belly up in the kitchen.

[brooklynpotter]

it's a giant roach. those things scare the crap out of me.

get the GIANT combat baits. and pray.

[Yavel]

I didn't think they came in that size. I am off to Lowes.

[prusik]

Best line in the Wikipedia description of the American Cockroach...

The insect is often considered a pest since it invades living quarters for sanctuary and food.

And who doesn't consider these things to be a pest?

[Livetotravel]

In some parts of Brooklyn they are considered pets
_________________
But that's impossible.

http://unratedunfiltered.com/

[prusik]

[quijibo]

[Dope on the Slope]

Mine's bigger.

[Guest]

Sometimes if there's construction nearby, they'll scurry over to your place. Here's what I do when I see one - it may be a bit high-maintenance but it works: I grab a glass bowl and a bottle of tea tree oil, throw a few drops of the oil into the bowl, and clap the bowl over the waterbug (as we called them when I was a kid in NY). The oil kills it. If it's taking too long you can put a few more drops onto the floor next to the bowl and carefully slide the bowl into position over the oil slick.

Combat or Raid Max baits for large roaches work very well, too. I HATE these things. They make me feel violated and unclean.

[seven24]

I don't see roaches too often but I do get plenty of silverfish,
and I honestly believe that spiders can smell my fear. Spiders are constantly stalking me.

[Guest]

"and clap the bowl over the waterbug (as we called them when I was a kid in NY). "

So the exterminator was over the other day and I was able to show him the "evidence." He looked at the dead body of the creature and called it a water bug, aka American Cockroach. The good news about these things according to the exterminator and another source is that they tend to come in when there's moisture outside. It does NOT mean the entire building is colonized. BIG difference here. Point is if u saw something like the pics in the other posts u'll be ok. Set traps if u want too, but these guys are a relatively minor disturbance in the big pesty picture.

[raw]

Can we please get a more exciting image on the Daily Slope's main page. I am sick of looking at those boring bugs.

[amyskittysitting]

[steve]

I'm too lazy to properly research this but I thought the Palmetto bugs were considered "American" and the little guys considered "German" Cockroaches.

Ok, I'm looking it up, and that's right. I hate roaches. I saw a couple of germans in my place, but I attribute that to the heat, and my being away for the week before I saw them

However, I think a fly dropped dead from the heat in the bathroom earlier. I actually felt sorry for it. It was pathetic.

[steve]

and having read that, I am never turning the lights in the kitchen or bathroom off again.

[Yavel]

Lol! I didn't realize my roach problem made the headlines. I'm glad I registered under a pseudonym.

[technicallychallenged]

I've been seeing these pleasant creatures around as well, I swear one was chasing me up my block one night... ok maybe I'm paranoid but really whats going on with these things I've lived in this neighborhood my whole life and I've never seen so f*ing many in such a short period of time. Call them what you will but they are the nastiest things, whats the best way to keep them out of my bathroom?

[sweet tea]

[Rose]

Combat worked really well in my old apartment. Also boric acid -- all along where the wall meets the floor -- this works for ants too.

The big roaches/waterbugs are really horrifying -- especially the ones with wings -- but it's true that they are usually just visiting. The little ones are the ones that move in and stay.

[Flexichick]

Don't use boric acid if you have pets or children (unless you don't like your children )

[Rose]

That's a good point about the boric acid. Usually in these old buildings, there will be gaps where the baseboard/molding doesn't quite meet the floor, or even behind the molding if it's pulling away from the wall. You want to find these crevices and get the boric acid into them, because that's most likely where the bugs are coming from. Then you can wipe up any excess before your children eat it.

[Carnivore]

[quijibo]

combat is da bomb!
i can't use those sprays cause of the dawg
but this heat is making them crazy and brazen

upon waking this morning, i found one crawling up the bathroom wall
as soon as it felt my hand nearing to squash it dead
it kicked its 6 legs away from the wall. all kamikaze style
throwing itself onto the floor, landed and scurried away

i had to laugh. stupid cockroach...

[Carnivore]

[stacey]

[elpico]

Here in Hawaii we call the big ones "B-52s." The only thing that sort of works is Combat Roach-Killing Gel. I can't find it here, so my daughters send it to me from - where else - Brooklyn. Cats can help, but Geckos are the best. Hard to litter train, though.

[quijibo]

[quijibo]

[NewResident]

I'm new here and didn't realize its so common, but then again I've never lived in a really old building as I do now. I have been scared shitless to go in my bathroom because of these things. We steel-wooled and sprayed Raid and did the roach motel thing, haven't seen one since but I'm not convinced they still don't come out and play at night.

Will they go away once the heat subsides?

[steve]