American cockroach

How to tell

• Large, 35 to 40 mm, reddish-brown with a pale yellowish figure-eight pattern behind the head.
• In Southwest Florida this is what people mean by palmetto bug — same insect, local name, and no site ever says so.
• Adults can glide short distances, which is why one appears on a wall at head height.
• Distinguished from the smoky brown roach by that light pattern behind the head, which the smoky brown lacks.

Where you'll find it

• Floor drains, laundry standpipes, and the garage water heater.
• Sewer cleanouts and irrigation valve boxes just outside the wall.
• Attics and soffits, especially where a palm touches the roof.

Why it matters

American cockroaches breed outdoors in mulch, sewers, and palm boots, then come inside through drains and door sweeps. They move directly from sewer lines to counters, which is a contamination issue rather than a structural one.

How Strike treats it

The work is mostly exterior. We treat harborage in mulch, valve boxes, and the palm and tree line, apply a perimeter band, and use bait in drains and voids where they enter. We also point out the physical gaps — a missing door sweep or an uncapped cleanout — that let them walk in. Recurring exterior service is what keeps the numbers down through the wet season.

What you can do before we arrive

• Run water in any drain you rarely use so the trap is not dry.
• Clear leaf litter and palm debris away from the walls.
• Note whether you see them mostly in the garage, the bathroom, or the kitchen.
• Check that exterior door sweeps still touch the threshold.