History

• Though it bears the name "American cockroach," these pests are not native to the Americas at all. Their original habitat was the tropical areas of the African continent. It is speculated, and some evidence indicates, that they hitched a ride to other parts of the world, including the United States, aboard slave ships intent on delivering captive human cargo. The American cockroach is just one of many species of roaches that crawl the earth.
  
  

Regions

• Some birds and other predators find roaches a tasty treat.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Palmetto bugs, or American cockroaches, generally live outdoors in warm, moist regions. They don't like drier areas, but if they have access to water they can survive outdoors. They cannot live in extreme cold, though. This roach species is "peridomestic," however, meaning that they also live indoors if the conditions are right. Dark basements, crawl spaces and bathrooms are where they can often be found, though they also like commercial kitchens and bakeries.
  
  

Dangers

• A "roachy smell" can signal an infestation.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  The American cockroach has never been implicated in a disease outbreak, according to the entomology department at Virginia Tech. Some members of the species, however carry an infectious bacteria, and this can be transferred to food that the roaches crawl over. Though these roaches may not present a major health threat, most people prefer not to share their homes or their food with them.
  
  

Control

• Roaches can live 42 days on water only.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  Roach infestations can be difficult to eliminate once they take hold. Good sanitation can help prevent an infestation by removing their food sources. Roaches are also attracted to water, leaky pipes; standing water or wet, empty bottles waiting to be recycled will also draw them. Keep clutter to a minimum and that will give them fewer places to hide or nest.
  
  

Removal

• Roaches often hide in cracks and crevices.Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images
  
  A number of methods exist to eradicate roaches, some more toxic than others. Cockroach baits mix a food substance with a toxin to attract, then kill the roaches. These baits can be in powder, gel or commercially prepared bait stations that are placed around the home in target areas. The bait stations for palmetto bugs are larger than for other household roaches -- they will control the roaches inside but not the ones that live outdoors. Silica gel and boric acid, known as inorganic dusts, are toxic to roaches and are another tool used for roach control. Insect Growth Regulators (IGR), available only for professional use, disrupt the natural breeding cycle of the roaches, but are usually used alongside baits because they do not kill the existing roaches. The IGR/bait combination is just one of the options available if you decide to call a professional pest-control company and let them take care of eliminating the problem for you.