I HATE waterbugs.

possibly_maybe · June 2008

Anyone else have a problem with these vile little creatures?

We've seen maybe 3 in the first 9 months of being here, but have seen 3 more in just the past 3 weeks, with the latest one FREAKING FLYING AT ME until my ninja reflexes smooshed him with the fly swatter.

Two weeks ago, we laid over a dozen bait traps, 4 sticky traps, and dusted with boric acid along much of the walls and almost every corner, down almost every crack (original pine floors = tons of cracks), and even installed a doorsweep for the front door. Somehow, this one managed to slip through....though it may have been here prior.

I'm quite sure it's not an infestation (random single sightings, all large adults), but it's a pretty serious problem since my girlfriend has a very serious phobia of them (I mean screaming bloody murder, hardly being able to speak, and getting all itchy all night at just the sight of one).

We've got the landlord (awesome people) to agree to have an exterminator sent out, but I'm not sure what else we can do. Anyone else grappling with these things? Any tips beyond all the stuff I've read a million times online?

And finally, does anyone know if landlords in NYC are required by law to have exterminators sent out regularly? Does the zoning/building type matter? (this is on a 100% residential block, very old but well-maintained woodframe duplex with separate garden-level apartment below)

Thanks. I'm DONE with these little bastards.

brooklynjack · June 2008

it is not required to have a regular exterminator though many do. It is required to be bug free. Waterbugs come up from the basement so the exterminator should spray there. Mine points out the cracks in the walls and floor that need to be plugged so they don't get in. Make sure there is no space between the pipes and the walls and around baseboards. Use some caulk to close them up

drano · June 2008

Waitaminute. Waterbugs? Are we talking about those charming fellows that can skitter across the surface of water with their magical legs, or big, fat, frickin' COCKROACHES that are never actually seen in water? Anyway, I on the rare occasions one shows up, just smash it with my fist - I feel a little guilty though, because the cat always looks at me like, "Why? Why did you do that to my new friend and playmate?"

nativesloper · June 2008

Haven't had a problem with waterbugs but I have had a run in during the last few months with bedbugs, which are truly vile little helians that strike during the dead of night leaving you with painful, swollen itchy bumps that take weeks to go away. They're hard to treat and exterminate...I've been meaning to seriously get on my landlord's back about them.

possibly_maybe · July 2008

Three more found in the last four days (one of which was dead when we arrived home; thanks to the cat, it seems!).

Seems like a bit of a problem. So frustrating, though, because we live in a duplex that's attached to 6 other buildings in these rowhouses, all of which date back well before pre-war. There's cracks everywhere, big and small, and though I've filled many of the bigger ones (especially around plumbing) with expandable foam, it's absolutely impossible to get them all in such an old wooden building. We can do everything we can to get rid of them, but if the infestation is actually in one of the neighboring houses (as it seems to be), then it's hopeless.

Boric acid, bait traps, sticky traps, doorsweeps, good cleaning habits (including vacuuming weekly), and filling as many plumbing cracks within reach (which doesn't include the dishwasher, washer/dryer, and refrigerator). What more can I possibly do? We're seriously thinking of moving out of this amazing apartment because of these damn things...

lanciano · July 2008

bleaashchaklsfjlafglkadglkhLKH!!! i hate these guys. Just thinking about them makes me want to jump out of my skin! Do other people have the same problem?

Unfortunately, these are NYC summer mascots and they're especially more social when it's a bit humid and hot out which is probably why you've seen many more in the past 3 weeks. When I was a kid, I remember walking along the street in the summer and seeing several scurrying along or squished on the sidewalk. ugh.

It sounds like you've done everything you can short of gassing the whole building. I'm not sure how that will be. But at least it will sterilize any eggs that are waiting to hatch.

Also, I have seen them fly in through windows, so make sure your screens are tight.

booklaw · July 2008

I once watched a waterbug enter my sink through the overflow hole. It had come up from the basement through the plumbing.

alexlopez · July 2008

Ugh. I never had them before. I have had five since I moved here.

And guess what my little angel Stella did because she loves me so much? She carried a live one in her mouth all the way over to my bed and dropped it on me, so proud of her gift? FUCK!

The good news is that any time there is ANY bug in the house, the cats identify it and it doesn't last too long.

That said, these things are seriously teh nasty

possibly_maybe · July 2008

Yeah, where I grew up in Queens, these things did NOT exist in any form.

That's horrible, Flexi. Our cat, thankfully, either kills them before we get home, or sits right in front of and guarding the last spot he saw one, which we pounce on with the ole bug squisher after moving a couple things so it runs out panicked.

We know they're pretty much everywhere in the city, but it doesn't make it any easier to live with them. It bums me out that we're doing everything we can to rid our place of them, but if the neighbors aren't doing their part, too, then it's hopeless.

belzjm · July 2008

i get these also and have done a lot of reading up on them.

luckily, this is NOT an infestation, and if you have these and not the smaller ones, you are actually in a much better situation than most. when you've got the smaller non waterbug type, you've got a real roach problem.

these love water, love humidity. i'd recommend asking your landlord to install a dehumidifier in the basement. would work wonders.

i've had great luck with the boric acid, putting it in every corner of the basement. this is where they are coming from, and the day after i put it down there, there were quite a few dead ones lying around.

other than that, it's something you will probably have to get used to a little bit.

the first few i saw, i really think i lost a year of my life on killing each one, and now the 10 or 12 i year i seem to have are like nothing more than ants at this point.

drea · July 2008

From what I've read about waterbugs, they are just American cockroaches. Same thing with palmetto bugs, etc etc. Nasty little suckers.

But since you don't see baby ones and dead ones, you probably don't have an infestation. I believe the person in front of me had some great advice, and I wanted to echo that.

I've only seen a few here where I'm living right now (knocks on woods). The last one I saw dropped on me from the top of my medicine cabinet when I reached up to grab my lotion. So I started yelling, naked, and running in place until it came to me to grab the raid and kill it, lol.

It will never compare with the time I saw the very first roach I ever saw in Boston. I had been sitting on the floor in my dorm room, talking to my roommate, and it must have walked across the floor and climbed up my shorts into my t shirt. Because when I stood up, I felt something, like a tag, in my shirt. So when I pulled it away from me and shook the shirt, this huge roach came out and fell on the floor. Again with the naked and screaming.

LOL!

But I get the same way your girlfriend does. HATE these things.

possibly_maybe · July 2008

Yikes, I can't even imagine the horror my girlfriend would feel if one was on her clothes like that... She's got a really serious phobia of them, so I'm not sure she'd maintain her sanity for some time afterwards...

I'm sure it's not an infestation, either. And yes, we're very lucky that it's only the American kind, and the not the German, which would be a real serious problem.

The boric acid we've laid -- I hope -- has been helping. I laid it in all the good spots, so it's got to have done something, even though we've only seen that one dead one since it was laid. If this building had a basement, I'd definitely ask the landlord about a dehumidifier, but it's a really old woodframe rowhouse (2 stories and a garden level), so there's really nothing of the sort.

Guess we'll just have to keep up the efforts we've been making and hope for the best...

wally · July 2008

Subject: Is boric acid ok to use in an apt with pets?

Saw one big nasty one last week - we get one or two visible ones every summer, esp when there's construction in either building next door. Like clockwork. I'm working on caulking up holes in the floors (original floors noted as above - lots of cracks).

The exterminator was here the day before the roach was so I said I hadn't seen any! Now I have to wait a month.

Can you use boric acid if you have pets in the house?

whatchuwant · July 2008

I went to bed last night, but got up to go to the kitchen for water. My big Bear had one and was beating it up. I told him to keep up the good work! But 20 minutes later, he was still playing with it, like it was his new friend or something!! (he's sweet, but not bright, my Bear...)

I got my trusty bug catching apparatus (candle holder/metal picture thingy) and threw him back into the wild. I didn't want to crush it after I'd just washed my kitchen floor.

possibly_maybe · July 2008

Subject: Re: Is boric acid ok to use in an apt with pets?

wally wrote: Can you use boric acid if you have pets in the house?

I've read lots of warnings about using it around small children and pets, but our vet (great guy) from Animal Kind said, basically, we shouldn't be too concerned "so long as [we] don't come home to catch Ralphie (our cat) doing lines of it".

We decided to take the risk of using it, but didn't sprinkle it anywhere that's TOO accessible by him. Mostly behind/under some areas that he wouldn't be walking or laying in (under cabinets, in cracks, behind the couch, along a few walls and corners mostly out of reach, etc). He doesn't seem to have been affected at all, nor does he express any interest in it after we lay some (I figured he might be able to smell it, but he doesn't seem to notice). If you DO use it, just use it with caution. And, of course, dust very very lightly with it; just so much that you hardly begin to see the really thin layer of it. Any more, they say, and the bugs will avoid it much like we'd avoid a big pile of snow.

Whatchuwant wrote: I went to bed last night, but got up to go to the kitchen for water. My big Bear had one and was beating it up. I told him to keep up the good work! But 20 minutes later, he was still playing with it, like it was his new friend or something!! (he's sweet, but not bright, my Bear...)

Cats are SO good with these things! Every single night around 10pm, Ralphie begins doing his patrols around the whole apartment, looking up, looking down, sniffing around, trying to make sure no bugs of any type are around. In one way, it's kinda nice that we live in such an old, porous apartment, as it gives him something to look forward to every night, between ladybugs, junebugs, lightning bugs, beetles, spiders, and even the occasional centipede (eww), silverfish (EWW), or waterbug (EWW!).

honeycut · July 2008

yuck. I've got so many stories about these horrid creatures, but I'll tell you my favorite two. When I was a student I lived at the YMCA and they would crawl up the (communal) shower drain while you were taking a shower! You had to attempt to keep one eye on the drain and one eye on the crazy lady with the shopping cart (in the shower with her). Then a few years later I lived in a loft, these freaking bugs (with the wingspan of a freaking sparrow, mind you) would fly in the windows! and they would be hanging out up by our water pipes about 14 ft. high, right by the ceiling so you wouldn't be able to reach them unless you were standing under them on a ladder. (shudder) My boyfriend had a BBgun and would shoot them! it was terribly sexy. The best advice I have seen posted for keeping them at bay is the dehumidifier. They love the water and are coming in for that. It really does help. Good luck!

quigley · July 2008

Have you tried the gel that exterminators can put in your apartment? I've had them do this in my apartment for roaches (same thing, right?) when the "spraying" they do didn't work. The gel was amazing. They put it in all kinds of crevices, and a week later, no more bugs. Didn't see any for a year. Now we have them come do this about once or twice a year as maintanence, and we don't have any problems. I'd definitely ask about it!

carmen · July 2008

Quigley wrote: Have you tried the gel that exterminators can put in your apartment? I've had them do this in my apartment for roaches (same thing, right?) when the "spraying" they do didn't work. The gel was amazing. They put it in all kinds of crevices, and a week later, no more bugs. Didn't see any for a year. Now we have them come do this about once or twice a year as maintanence, and we don't have any problems. I'd definitely ask about it!

I want to get someone to come into my apartment- how much does something like this cost roughly?

veets · July 2008

Carmen..pm me.. I will give you the name of terrific exterminator... One treatment.. probably in the range of $75

quigley · July 2008

veets wrote: Carmen..pm me.. I will give you the name of terrific exterminator... One treatment.. probably in the range of $75

My landlord paid for it (they are required to try and deal with infestations) but if you wanted to do it yourself, I don't think it costs TOO much for someone to come in once. Maybe around $100 - $125. It's worth it, if you have a really bad problem.

west meets east · July 2008

Subject: Use wisdom when killing bugs

Hey, feel for all you terrorized by waterbugs.

I'm scared of them too but for some reason I'm always the one who has to do the dirty deed because my roomates (guys) start screaming like girls when they appear.

Probably you Parkslopians are more than concerned about this but just as a friendly reminder, if you use pesticides or extermination services just remember your pets, your kids and also the women in your household. Most of these things affect the aforementioned lifeforms to a greater extent. You might get rid of the bugs but who wants to retain pesticides in their bodies for later problems? If you start nuking the bugs and your cats ingest them, well now I'm sure you get the picture. Aerosol pesticides like Raid are dangerous and can be inhaled so try to avoid. I've had a lot of luck with Combat. The bugs eat it, take it to their nest, die and are eaten by other roachy bretheren who then die so it kills and keeps on killing. I change every 6 months and have only 1 waterbug siting a year at the most.

My friend was cleaning out her basement a couple of years back and saw tons of waterbug skeletons clinging to the water pipes near the ceiling. So if you have to do pesticides you might do it in the basement where it has less effect on people but greater effect on bugs.

Prevention is the best. Keeping apartments clean like no papers, dust, crap on the floors. One roach carries an egg cartridge that has like 12 segments that can break off and release many many roach eggs. So you have to keep the dust and debris away so they don't accumulate and hatch.

Also, roaches and waterbugs like humidity so if you keep a fan running (air is ok, doesn't have to be AC) they will stay away from the area. Humidifier is good too.

Lastly, those hairy crawly centipedes are your BEST FRIENDS believe it or not. They eat roach larvae and other tiny bugs. So if you see one scurrying around your apartment, be happy and wish them good hunting. They eat the bad bugs, mites etc and are not harmful. Just like having your own little exterminator in the apartment. Be kind to them and they will be kind to you.

That's my 2cents and good luck.

nyguy1 · July 2008

Ack! This morning at 7am Stella the Buggy Hunter gets off the bed and starts cornering "something" that has gone under the baseboard. I was sooooo tired, I just wanted to sleep. Obviously, she was on to something. what to do? go back to bed and wait for her to jump on top of me with large "waterbug" in her mouth or wait until she caught it? This was taking a while, but Stella was diligently guarding the wall until it came back. Finally realized it was just a centipede (which don't bother me), and after she batted it around a bit, it crawled back into the wall and we all went back to sleep. And everybody lived happily ever after. The end.

belzjm · July 2008

west meets east:

do they sell extra large combat traps? i tried these and sat here and literally watched one of these suckers push it across the room because it was too big to fit inside it to take the bait!!!!!

drea · July 2008

belzjm wrote: west meets east:

do they sell extra large combat traps? i tried these and sat here and literally watched one of these suckers push it across the room because it was too big to fit inside it to take the bait!!!!!

I am so sorry to sit here and laugh at this story, but I really can't help it, lol.

superjonbot · July 2008

waterbugs,
I've seen 3 of them this year, all in my shower. I have one of those removable shower heads that can adjust to a pulsing water canon and then I blast the hell out of them. I always feel a bit sad for them towards the end because while they are scrambling from the water, just before they die, they shit themselves. SERIOUSLY! you can see them shit themselves while they are twirling in circles in the water... maybe a second after, they stop moving. Its always a bit sad, but I've learned from past experiences that threats of death do not phase them, so I have to get all Charles Bronson on the mofos.

yankeefan · July 2008

ooopsie.....this guy hates bugs more than us...or maybe we're just smarter:

NEW YORK, July 21 - A New Jersey man trying to exterminate insects in his apartment blew it up instead, the New York Daily News reported on Monday.

Isias Vidal Maceda was unhurt in the incident, but 80 percent of his apartment was destroyed, Eatontown, New Jersey police told the newspaper.

The accident occurred as Maceda was spraying for pests in his kitchen. Somehow the bug spray ignited a blast that blew out the apartment's front windows and triggered a fire that quickly spread, the newspaper said.

Police told the newspaper that the Saturday blaze also caused smoke damage to the apartment above.

possibly_maybe · July 2008

holy crap!!

Guess he probably sprayed a ton all over the apartment, without ventilation, and then maybe sprayed under the stove fixture (where I'm sure the German kind hide since it's warm, dark, and close to food), where the pilot light ignited the fumes....or something.

Things are looking a bit better here....for now. I'm still scarred so much by the damn things, though, that I'm constantly scanning around on the floor as I go from room to room in the evening. The floors are original pine, dark red with lots of darker & lighter spots, so the damn things are pretty well camouflaged.

booklaw · July 2008

Where can one buy a praying mantis? Surely that would be the green way to control waterbugs and other roaches?

whatchuwant · July 2008

booklaw wrote: Where can one buy a praying mantis? Surely that would be the green way to control waterbugs and other roaches?

Since, from what I believe, they're on the endangered species list. I don't believe its possible to purchase said mantis. And it wouldn't be right to keep them indoors.

...but then, I also assume you're kidding, in which case...

dlabrook · July 2008

here's my recent experience. warning: its not for the timid:

monday night, between 10:30 and 11:30 my cat and i caught 7. they were litteraly coming out of the woodwork, flying around my kitchen. wreckless and bold and BIG.

I was FREAKING! I figured if i saw 7 in an hour there must be an infestation and i bolted leaving all the fun for the cat.

Yesterday i returned to my apt and spent all day exterminating. sprayed all the cracks in the floorboards and pipes , which were many since i live in an old brownstone. (parlor floor) laid bait traps. (to answer an earlier post, they do make large ones, specifically for monster size roaches).
Found 7 more yesterday. Realize now that i should probably have an exterminator come do the basement. i need to call in a pro at this point.

the reason for the sudden infestation? i pulled my airconditioner up from the basement sunday night and put it in my bedroom. had it on sunday night then turned it off when i went to work. that night after work is when the attack began. i think there was a nest living in the airconditioner. (i did notice a strange rustling sound when i turned it on - thought it was leaves - but it was probably cockroach wings!!!! AGH!!!!!!!!). so while i was sleeping, about four feet away from me, they were probably crawling out of the vents....

i think i'm going to need therapy to get over the trauma!

carmen · July 2008

dlabrook wrote: here's my recent experience. warning: its not for the timid:

monday night, between 10:30 and 11:30 my cat and i caught 7. they were litteraly coming out of the woodwork, flying around my kitchen. wreckless and bold and BIG.

I was FREAKING! I figured if i saw 7 in an hour there must be an infestation and i bolted leaving all the fun for the cat.

Yesterday i returned to my apt and spent all day exterminating. sprayed all the cracks in the floorboards and pipes , which were many since i live in an old brownstone. (parlor floor) laid bait traps. (to answer an earlier post, they do make large ones, specifically for monster size roaches).
Found 7 more yesterday. Realize now that i should probably have an exterminator come do the basement. i need to call in a pro at this point.

the reason for the sudden infestation? i pulled my airconditioner up from the basement sunday night and put it in my bedroom. had it on sunday night then turned it off when i went to work. that night after work is when the attack began. i think there was a nest living in the airconditioner. (i did notice a strange rustling sound when i turned it on - thought it was leaves - but it was probably cockroach wings!!!! AGH!!!!!!!!). so while i was sleeping, about four feet away from me, they were probably crawling out of the vents....

i think i'm going to need therapy to get over the trauma!

any construction near your building? My boyfriend's place was blowing up with bugs when they ripped up the sidewalk outside (ground floor apt)

I HATE waterbugs.

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