MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — A great debate has come to the Palmetto State this season. Cockroaches or Palmetto Bugs? Are they the same thing or are they different?

Locals and out-of-towners have been debating this very issue and we asked several people what they call these pests.

“Cockroach,” said Claudia McDermott, originally from out of state.

“Palmetto State Bug,” Crystal Gore, a native of South Carolina, said.

The two also disagreed about whether they were the same thing or not. Like a pesky bug that won’t go away, this debate seems never ending among out-of-towners and South Carolinians.

“From everybody else that comes out of town, they swear they’re roaches,” Gore explained.

“They’re cockroaches. I don’t care what you call them they’re still the same thing,” McDermott said.

As it turns out they’re both right, sort of.

“It’s like horses and ponies,” Joey Davis, with AAA Pest Control, said. “Two different things.”

The Palmetto Bug refers specifically to the outdoor American Cockroach, while the pests that often invade homes and buildings are indoor German Cockroaches.

The name Palmetto Bug comes from the Palmetto State, which is known for the Palmetto tree, where these bugs often like to live. You might notice the German Cockroach is smaller, while the Palmetto bug is much larger.

“German Roaches carry about 45 bacteria and pathogens,” Davis explained. “They can make you sick. So you really, if you’ve got a problem with that, you want to get them out of your house quickly. Now a Palmetto Bug can’t hurt you at all. It’s just mainly the ick factor.”

Palmetto Bugs are a red/orange color and fly. German Cockroaches are light tan and have no wings.

“Because you have a bug problem does not mean necessarily your home is dirty,” Davis said. “I’ve seen, you know, cockroaches in homes that are worth several million dollars and nice fine restaurants. It really doesn’t matter. It’s just more of a bad luck thing.”

Experts say trying to handle a roach problem on your own can actually make it worse. If you’re not killing the roaches, they’re likely becoming more immune to the treatment you’re using and will continue to breed.
 

Source: http://abcnews4.com/news/local/squashing-the-debate-are-they-palmetto-bugs-or-cockroaches