Seeing palmetto bugs on your property is bad enough, but did you know that these pests can bite and even spread disease? Palmetto bugs, which are actually American cockroaches, are also known as waterbugs. Find out more about the kinds of problems these pests can cause and when you should get cockroach control services for your property in SC.
Identifying Palmetto Bugs
Palmetto bugs are reddish-brown cockroaches that grow up to 1.5 inches long. They differ from Oriental cockroaches, which are more of a black color and usually stay outside. You might find palmetto bugs hidden away under the leaves of palmetto trees around your property, although they also run or crawl around searching for food and water. These insects can fly or glide in order to get from one area to another.
Dangers of Palmetto Bugs
Palmetto bugs are able to bite people, although this usually doesn’t happen. These pests might resort to biting if they can’t find enough food to eat. However, since they have a varied diet that includes both meat and plant sources, they can easily find foods to sustain them. These bugs are also not aggressive and won’t attack you.
While palmetto bugs rarely bite, they can be a threat to you in other ways. One of the biggest reasons to get professional cockroach control services when you have an infestation is due to the fact that these pests can spread disease.
Palmetto bugs crawl through trash, sewers, pipes and other areas that are filled with bacteria and other germs. When these bugs then climb around on your counters or other surfaces of your home, they can leave these germs behind. You might end up with a gastrointestinal illness from exposure to these germs, resulting in diarrhea, vomiting and other digestive symptoms.
Palmetto bugs can also affect those who are allergic to their droppings or skin. These pests shed their skin, leaving it behind. They also leave droppings behind wherever they go. If you’re allergic to their skin or droppings, you might develop respiratory symptoms, such as sneezing, or you could end up with a skin rash. In some cases, those who are allergic to these bugs may have asthma attacks, which can be serious.
Dealing with Palmetto Bugs
Cockroach control services in the Hilton Head area offer an effective way to lower the risk of health problems caused by palmetto bugs. While you can get rid of the occasional palmetto bug you see on your property, keep in mind that seeing one means that you could have a much larger infestation. In fact, these pests tend to gather in big groups that can number in the thousands. You could have these bugs lurking around your foundation, under roof shingles, inside pipes, around your pool or in woodpiles.
Palmetto bugs come out at night to look for food, which is when you’ll often see them. Even if you keep your home clean and free of crumbs and other food sources for these bugs, they can go for a few months without eating or drinking any water. Having a professional technician come to your home helps ensure that the entire population of palmetto bugs is eliminated, rather than just a few here and there.
Since these bugs can also reproduce in large numbers, it’s important to deal with infestations as quickly as possible. Cockroach control services done by skilled professionals can get rid of these bugs on your property, so you don’t have to worry about having them spread disease or cause allergic reactions.
If you have palmetto bugs on your residential or commercial property, please contact Island Pest Control. Our state-licensed technicians provide dependable cockroach control services to keep these pests from taking over your property and putting your health at risk. Call us to schedule a free 58-point inspection of your home.
