How to Get Rid of Water Bugs: What Kills and Keeps Them Away

What Is a Water Bug?

A water bug is another name for the oriental cockroach, American cockroach, smoky brown cockroach, or other outdoor roaches. You may also occasionally hear them called palmetto bugs.

However, there is another water bug called giant water bug (Lethocerus americanus). These are not the same as oriental roaches. The giant water bug does not threaten your home and is an aquatic insect. They live in standing water like ponds and marshes.

On the other hand, oriental cockroaches tend to have a color of dark brown, reddish-brown, or shiny black coats.

Water bugs’ body shape is oval, and they have antennae. These insects grow roughly 25 to 32 mm, with females being more prominent.

Female oriental cockroaches do not have wings but have wing pads, whereas the males do have wings, which are roughly three-quarters in length. However, neither one of them can fly.

Finally, water bugs live in the Northern regions of the United States and originate from the Black and Caspian Seas.

Read More: Look-Alikes: Types of Bugs that Look Like Cockroaches But Aren’t

Why Do Water Bugs Invade Your House?

Water bugs invade your house because they search for food and water.

Palmetto bugs prefer cool, damp areas that they can use to raise their offspring. In that case, they might be in your basement, sewage pipes, or small crawl spaces inside your home.

However, these pests also love garbage and old food. Make sure to empty the trash and do regular cleaning within your home to ensure they do not come inside.

Read More: What Causes Roaches In My Clean House and Why Do I Have Them?

How to Get Rid of Water Bugs

There are many ways you can eliminate water bugs from your home. We will discuss these below.

1. Close Their Entry Points

It would be wise to fix your home if you notice cracks within the walls, poor weather stripping, or do not have plugs for your faucets. It would also be wise to inspect windows, doors, and air ducts.

You also want to check for broken water pipes in the basement of your home. Make sure that any drain pipes do not contain places where oriental roaches can also enter from outside your home.

Not only would fixing these issues be good for eliminating insects from your home, but it will also improve ventilation.

2. Eliminate Damp Areas

If you have a humid basement, leaky pipes, or dripping faucets, make sure to fix leaks and purchase a dehumidifier for moist environments.

These wet environments might include the laundry room, bathroom, or basements. If you are unsure if you have damp environments, purchase a hydrometer.

Read More: Seeing Cockroaches in Your Basement?

3. Get Rid of Food Sources

Seal your food with plastic Ziplock bags or purchase food containers with a good seal.

Do not leave food out in the open either, and immediately clean up your food while wiping down counters.

4. Declutter Your Home (Eliminate Hiding Areas)

A cluttered home means water bugs have more hiding places. We recommend you declutter your home. Another thing you could do is trim the bushes away from the house.

Read More: What Does a Roach Nest Look Like? How to Find and Get Rid of One

5. Use Sticky Traps

Sticky traps are an excellent way to eliminate oriental cockroaches from the midst of your home.

If you purchase sticky traps, place them where you see the most roach activity. For example, if you find a crack under your door that you cannot immediately fix, we advise you to place your trap there.

The main downside of using sticky traps is changing them frequently.

6. Deploy Roach Bait Stations

If you know where cockroaches tend to hide, then your job is to place bait inside or near these areas.

If you have cracks in the wall, you can also place the cockroach bait in those areas, much like caulking.

7. Use Boric Acid

Boric acid is kills water bugs by destroying their digestive tract. Because boric acid is a pesticide, sprinkle a thin layer in areas like under your sink, basements, and other places.

Make sure to keep this chemical away from food, animals, and pets to ensure better safety.

8. Use Home Remedies

Lastly, we have home remedies to minimize water bug infestation. Here is a list of them below:

• Essential oils: Create a bug spray bottle of essential oils mixed with water. Citronella, lemon, basil, lavender and peppermint oil are the best oils for roaches . Spray down the drains of your home periodically as a deterrent.

Read More: Natural Roach Repellent: Use Smells They Hate to Keep Them Away

Read More: How To Use Lavender Against Roaches

• Homemade vinegar spray: Vinegar sprays are antibacterial and antifungal. Make sure to use a 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water in places you see any water bugs or their activity.
• Baking soda & powdered sugar: These two mixed together are super simple yet extremely powerful because of how effective it is. Mix equal amounts of baking soda and sugar, then sprinkle it on the areas where you see roaches the most.
• Liquid detergent: For this home remedy, use an antibacterial liquid detergent that works exceptionally well for water bugs. Mix it in with water and pour it on their nests or use a spray bottle. This remedy gets rid of their outer protective shell and disinfects the areas they have been in.
• Pour hot water: If you know where water bugs live, boil water and pour it on their nest. Make sure to do this remedy twice daily, as these bugs do not tolerate scorching temperatures.
• Alcohol: Alcohol prevents oriental roaches from reproducing, thus making it a good choice. However, this is not the best remedy, so it may not be as effective as other solutions.

9. Hire a Professional Exterminator

If you have attempted everything mentioned above and more to get rid of waterbugs but still have problems, it might be time to consider hiring an exterminator to tackle these tiny beasts.

Some pest control professionals will allow you to use chemical treatments or natural remedies to eliminate these bugs. However, they will ensure you have successfully eliminated them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Time of the Year Do Water Bugs Come Out?

The time of the year when water bugs come out the most is in the summertime when it is the warmest. Most water bugs come inside your home through drains in your homes or on the street.

Read More: Sewer Roaches: How to Get Rid of Ones that Come Up Your Drain

What Is the Difference Between a Water Bug & Cockroach?

The main difference between a water bug and cockroach is that water bugs live in the water whereas cockroaches live on land. However, there are quite a few differentiations between them, which we will discuss below.

Water Bugs

Actual water bugs (Lethocerus americanus) will hardly ever be in your home and live in water. If they enter your house, it is only by accident.

However, water bugs bite if you handle them out of defense. Although their bite can be incredibly painful, it is not dangerous to humans. These bugs are roughly 2 inches long and typically brown or grey.

Oriental Cockroaches

On the other hand, oriental cockroaches (or water bugs) have a similar appearance but are slightly different. These cockroaches are smaller in length at 1 to 1 1/2 inches long and are typically brown.

These bugs prefer to live on land over water. However, they carry diseases with them and can cause you to become sick due to their ability to eat almost anything, especially excretion from other animals or bugs.

Read More: How To Get Rid Of All Cockroach Infestations

Do Water Bugs Crawl on Beds?

Yes, water bugs crawl on beds. They are not typically interested in humans but will feed on dead skin cells and sweat that get on the sheets.

Read More: See a Roach in Your Bedroom? How to Prevent and Get Rid of Them

Are Water Bugs More Active at Night?

Yes, water bugs are more active at night. If you see them during the day, you may have a worse infestation than you might think. 

Read More: How to Keep Cockroaches Away at Night: Why Do They Come Out?