Palmetto Bugs vs. Cockroaches – Is There A Difference?

It’s Palmetto Bug season, y’all. The popular topic of conversation this year has been the cicadas and the omnipresent noise all over town. However, Georgia/Carolina residents know that this is prime Palmetto Bug season.

We’re all familiar with them. They pop up at the most inopportune times. But, I guess, what is the opportune time for hanging with a cockroach? Unless, of course, you’re Theo Huxtable. Gen Xers know what I’m talking about. The rest of y’all can Google it.

Anyway, locals have a long history with Palmetto Bugs. It doesn’t matter how clean your house is. These little jerks will mosey their way into your house whenever they see fit. I have a very vivid memory of hanging out with a girl when I was a teenager, who I was very interested in, as a Palmetto Bug crawled up my wall. The sheer terror of the bug even being there in the first place was enough to make me sweat. But, add on the fear of the girl seeing it?! Oh, man! I’m surprised I didn’t have a heart attack right there!

I don’t know if I’m the only one who’s noticed but, it seems like the Palmetto Bugs are getting more cocky. When I was younger, it seemed like the room needed to be at least dark for them to start creeping around. Nowadays, they just chill anywhere. They no longer scurry away when you turn on the light or even step near them.

Palmetto Bugs are surprisingly fast. At least, they used to be. I walked into my office earlier this week and there was one just sitting there in the middle of the room. Didn’t care that the light was on and didn’t care when I stepped right beside it. In fact, it even asked to borrow five bucks!

A coworker also had a run-in recently. She said one was in her vehicle. When she tried to shoo it out, it just crawled back in, under the back seat. She emphatically explained that she can’t drive now. What if the bug crawled onto her while driving? A very real problem, by the way.  Her solution? It’s obvious: She’d have to set the vehicle on fire.

Disclaimer: Do not set your vehicle on fire because there’s a bug in it.

I explained to her that it’s just a Palmetto Bug, not a roach. This is an explanation that I’ve heard from many southerners. I’ve had extensive conversations debating the difference. As it turns out, I’ve been mostly wrong.

Palmetto Bugs are, in fact, cockroaches. “Palmetto bug” is mostly used to refer to the Florida Woods cockroach, Smokey Brown cockroach, Australian cockroach, American cockroach, Brown cockroach and the Death’s Head(!) cockroach. And, yes, they’re just as gross as the ones that we all REALLY don’t want: the German cockroach.

Palmetto Bugs, even though they make their way inside sometimes, prefer to live in trees, foliage and shrubbery. German cockroaches prefer your dirty kitchen or bathroom. This breed multiplies quickly and are just flat out gross, especially when you see them on the wall of a restaurant in which you just finished your lunch (this actually happened to me and EWWWW!). If you see them, it’s time you cleaned up your area…and call an exterminator.

Luckily, the German cockroach, the most common of the bug, rarely use their wings. Palmetto Bugs, however, are known to use theirs. Their favorite time to use them? When you are standing nearby and they can fly toward your head.

Spring is here and Summer is not too far behind. These are the seasons to get out and explore, whether that's out of town or right here in the CSRA.

For those who want to unleash the adventure right here in the area, below are just a few local attractions that can help with that. Most fascinating discoveries are right under our noses you just have to get out and find it -  even in your hometown,  sometimes you have to put on your tourist hat. By doing that you can uncover hidden gems like local markets, new restaurants, and more.

With the weather getting warmer and the days getting later, many of us are looking to have a good time outdoors. That can be with a morning jog, a picnic in the park, or a night under the stars.

Augusta and the surrounding cities are filled with a lot of things, but sometimes you've just got to look for them. A great way to keep up with what's going on in the area is to find a schedule of events and mark them down. Oftentimes, if something fun is going on in the area, it may pop up on our social media page and then we forget what the event or business was and never see the pop-up again.

Concerts, plays, sports events, block parties, food festivals, and more are all starting to ramp back up.

But maybe you're looking for something to really wow you. Something different than your everyday activity. We've got you! These local attractions below have a little bit of it all. From camping in style to feeding and petting donkeys.

Here is a list of 5 local attractions in the CSRA that you probably haven't heard of - but it's okay these will have your spring and summer days filled with local fun.

Eudora Wildlife Safari Park, home to over 300 exotic animals, is located in Salley, South Carolina. It is home to the first drive-thru safari park in South Carolina. It is about an hour away from Augusta.

The Glamp Inn features 4 Luxury glamping sites on Clarks Hill Lake, Lincolnton GA. Domes come complete with ensuite bathrooms, kitchenettes and the option of a queen bed suite or the double queen loft, an outdoor 10 X 24 furnished deck, and a fireplace. You also request food and spa service.

One of the first things you think of when it gets hot outdoors is when can I get to the water? Take a few trips up and down the Savannah River with Jetski Augusta.

Stallings Island is an archeological site, located in the Savannah River. There are wild donkeys on the island that many people go to see by Kayak.

For those that want to get active outdoors, this is for you! Located in Hephzibah, this place has it all from fishing to a gun range. They also have ATV/UTV and dirtbike trails, along with axe throwing and pond rafting.