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Florida Woods Roach (Eurycotis floridana)
Identify it, prevent it, and know when to call. A South Florida guide from Pro-Spray.
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What Is a Florida Woods Roach?
The Florida woods roach is a native cockroach found in Florida and along parts of the Gulf Coast. It's the original "palmetto bug," though today most people use that name for the palmetto bug we know as the American cockroach. It's a heavy, slow-moving roach that lives outside in damp, shaded debris and only sometimes finds its way into homes, garages and pool areas.
What makes it memorable is its defense. When threatened, it releases a strong, unpleasant-smelling liquid, which has earned it nicknames like "stinking cockroach."
How to Identify Them
Florida woods roaches are wide and flattened, with a glossy, dark body. Instead of full wings, adults have small, stubby wing pads near the front of the body. They move slowly compared with American or smokybrown roaches, which helps tell them apart. Nymphs look like smaller versions of the adults, often with lighter markings.
Common look-alikes:
- American cockroach: reddish-brown, fast, with full wings and a light ring behind the head.
- Smokybrown cockroach: dark, but slimmer, quick and fully winged.
Life Cycle and Habits
Females deposit egg cases in protected outdoor spots like leaf litter, mulch and under loose bark. Nymphs grow slowly outside, feeding on decaying plant matter. This roach is primarily a scavenger of organic debris rather than human food, and it doesn't typically breed inside homes.
It's active at night and shelters during the day under mulch, pavers, potted plants, stored lumber and palm fronds. Flooding rains and yard work can disturb their shelters and send them wandering.
Signs of an Infestation
- Large, slow, dark roaches on patios, lanais, garages or near sliding doors
- A sharp, unpleasant smell when one is disturbed or stepped on
- Many roaches found under potted plants, pavers, stones or mulch
- Occasional roaches indoors after storms or heavy rain
Is it dangerous?
Foul-smelling defensive spray; mostly a nuisance indoors.
Why They Show Up in South Florida Homes
They thrive in our shaded, damp landscaping, especially thick mulch beds, palms, and leaf litter along fences and canals. Homes with heavily planted borders, wood piles or lots of potted plants near doors tend to see them more. They enter under doors, through garage gaps and around plumbing lines.
Pets, Kids and the Smell
The defensive spray isn't venomous, but it is irritating, and it can sting if it gets in the eyes. Curious dogs and cats that paw at or bite these roaches may drool, sneeze or shake their heads for a bit afterward. Kids should leave them alone and let an adult remove them with a dustpan or paper towel. If the liquid gets on skin, washing with soap and water is usually enough. Wiping down floors and patio surfaces afterward helps get rid of the lingering smell.
Prevention Tips
- Rake leaf litter and thin out mulch near the house.
- Lift and move potted plants periodically; don't let debris build up beneath them.
- Store firewood and lumber away from walls.
- Install door sweeps and seal garage door gaps.
- Keep lanai screens and sliding door tracks in good repair.
How Pro-Spray Treats Florida Woods Roaches
Since they live outside, our focus is the outdoors: landscape beds, mulch, palm bases, debris areas and the home's perimeter, along with entry points like doors and garage thresholds. Granular and perimeter treatments help reduce the outdoor population near the house. Quarterly service keeps that protection up, especially through rainy months.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is that awful smell when I squish a roach?
Do Florida woods roaches infest homes?
Can they fly?
Why do I see them after it rains?
Reviewed October 2026 by Pro-Spray's family-run team
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