Cockroaches Periplaneta americana & friends
In Florida the big reddish one has a polite name — palmetto bug — but it’s an American cockroach, and it moves indoors every summer looking for water. The smaller German cockroach is the one that actually infests kitchens, breeding behind appliances where sprays don’t reach.
Signs you have them
- Big reddish roaches appearing in bathrooms and kitchens at night
- Pepper-like droppings in drawers or under the sink
- A musty, oily smell in enclosed cabinets
- Small brown egg cases glued in dark corners
What you can do today, free
- Fix dripping taps and dry out sinks overnight — roaches need water more than food
- Seal gaps where pipes enter walls with steel wool + caulk
- Skip the bug bombs: they scatter roaches deeper into walls
Questions, answered straight
Are palmetto bugs different from cockroaches?
No — “palmetto bug” is the local nickname for the American cockroach. It flies, it’s startling, and it comes in from outside. If you’re seeing small tan roaches in the kitchen instead, that’s a German cockroach infestation and it needs baiting, not spray.
Does Totalnix treat German cockroaches?
Yes — every roach species is included in the Pest Plan at $119/quarter. Some national plans exclude German cockroaches from their base price; ours doesn’t.
Ants 
Spiders 
Fleas