The Palmetto Bug, also known as the American Cockroach, or waterbug, is reddish-brown in color, about 1.5 inches in length, and has wings but will seldom actually fly. Getting rid of this pest requires patience, persistence, and a combination of both chemical and non-chemical methods.
Step 1) Non Chemical Methods for Palmetto Bug Control
Sanitation
Like most pests, Palmetto Bugs require 3 things to thrive-food, water, and harborage. If you can eliminate even one of these things through proper sanitation, the roach population will be forced to either die or move someplace else.
- Discard old boxes and piles of papers where roaches can hide.
- Use a waste bin or trash can with a tight fitting lid and keep trash in a close plastic bag overnight.
- Fix leaky drains and faucets; roaches can live on water alone.
- Clean kitchen appliances thoroughly
- Empty pet food containers at night, or place them on the back porch or in a plastic bag.
- Vacuum regularly, and restrict food consumption to one room of the house. This will help keep Palmetto Bugs and other pests from spreading into others areas such as bedrooms.
Exclusion
Palmetto Bugs prefer to live outdoors, but will easily set up residence indoors if they can find their way inside. Exclusion is about keeping Palmetto Bugs out, or at least making it harder for them to get in.
- Caulk and repair holes around doors, windows, water pipes and baseboards.
- Place mesh screens over windows, floor drains, and vents. These places serve as roach hideaways.
- Windows and doors should fit tightly and squarely within their frames to prevent both harborage and entry from outside.
Step 2) Chemical Methods for Palmetto Bug Control
Dust Cracks & Crevices
- The dusts that work best against Palmetto Bugs are Delta Dust and CB Borid Boric Acid.
- Using a hand duster and following label instructions, apply dust liberally where roaches travel--underneath and behind baseboards, behind wall outlets, in wall voids, in cupboards and cabinets, and underneath appliances such as washers and dryers.
Apply a Liquid Residual to the Perimeter
- Demand CS, Suspend SC, or Demon WP provide excellent control when mixed in a 2 gallon sprayer and applied at a low-pressure setting.
- Spray indoors along baseboards, especially in corners; window and door frames, on the underside of furniture, behind bookshelves, and in other problem areas as listed on the product label. With Palmetto bugs, the outher perimeter of the home or structure should also be treated.
- Residual sprays need to be reapplied every month to every 3 months, depending on the level of infestation.
Baits
- Use Niban FG in attics, basements, and crawlspaces where Palmetto Bugs enter, and
- For added protection, spread DeltaGard G Granules outdoors in pine straw and mulched areas surrounding the infested structure.
Kill ‘em on Contact
Contact sprays will kill roaches immediately on contact, and can also be used to "flush out" roaches from suspected harborages. Contact Sprays for Palmetto Bugs include CB-80 Extra, Cy-Kick, D-Force HPX, 565 Plus XLO.
Don't Skip the IGR!
An IGR is a chemical used to disrupt and impede the life cycle of insects in the egg and larvae stage of development. The idea with an IGR is that if an insect cannot reach adulthood, it cannot reproduce. In short, IGR is a form of "birth control" for Palmetto Bugs and other pests, which helps to keep populations under control by preventing current and future infestations.
- The most common and effective IGR for roach control is Gentrol IGR, which comes in an aerosol , concentrated liquid, and point-source tablet.
- We recommend Gentrol IGR Concentrate to be added to your hand sprayer and sprayed right along with your baseboard chemical ( Demand CS, Suspend SC, or Demon WP).
- For kitchen and bathroom areas, Gentrol Aerosol is the formulation of choice. Using the straw attachment, the IGR should be applied liberally to all visible cracks and crevices, including underneath, behind, and alongside appliances, behind outlets, along pipe collars, inside wall voids, and on top of kitchen cabinets near the ceiling.
- Continue to apply IGR every 4 to 6 weeks for up to 6 months, or until all signs of infestation have been eliminated.
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