Cockroach Control in Longwood, FL

Updated September 2026

Cockroach Control in Longwood

Longwood is a small city in southwestern Seminole County, north of Altamonte Springs and Orlando along U.S. 17/92 and State Road 434. Founded in the 1870s by E.W. Henck, it is one of the oldest towns in the Orlando area, and its historic district preserves Victorian homes and the 1880s Bradlee-McIntyre House. The city mixes that historic core with 1970s-90s subdivisions, apartments, office parks and wooded neighborhoods along the Wekiva River basin, and it is known for the giant Senator cypress that once stood in nearby Big Tree Park.

Lakes, the Wekiva River, cypress swamps and oak canopy keep the area humid, with hot, stormy summers and occasional frosts. Palmetto bugs and smokybrowns are the most common calls, with German cockroaches in apartments and restaurants and Australian cockroaches in landscaping.

The Cockroaches Longwood Residents Report Most

Notes by Type of Property

The Historic District

Longwood's historic district holds some of the oldest buildings in the Orlando area, including Victorian homes, the Bradlee-McIntyre House and the old Longwood Hotel. These wood-frame buildings have raised floors, crawlspaces and old plumbing, and settled piers and worn screens let roaches in. Screening crawlspace vents, sealing floor penetrations and weatherstripping doors protect them without altering their character.

• Torn crawlspace screens
• Gaps where pipes enter floors
• Shrunken siding
• Porch ceilings and eaves

Big Tree Park

Big Tree Park was home to The Senator, a bald cypress more than 3,500 years old that burned in 2012; its descendant and The Lady Liberty cypress still grow there. The park's cypress swamp is typical of the wetlands around Longwood, where palmetto bugs and woods roaches thrive.

The Wekiva River Basin

West of the city, the Wekiva River and its protected basin include springs, swamps and hammock. Homes near these wetlands see more humidity and outdoor roaches; clear strips and sealed foundations help.

Established Subdivisions

Many homes date from the 1970s through the 1990s, with block construction, attached garages and pools. Worn garage seals and weep holes are common entry points; door seals and pipe collars help.

Henck's Railroad Town

Founder E.W. Henck helped bring the South Florida Railroad through Longwood in the 1880s, and the town grew around the tracks. The rail corridor still runs through the city, and older buildings near it share the same roach entry points as the historic district.

A Year of Cockroach Activity in Longwood

Quick Notes for Longwood

A Mature Wooded Canopy

Longwood's mature tree canopy keeps many yards shaded and consistently damp, conditions outdoor species like palmetto bugs tend to favor.

A Historic Train Depot Core

The older buildings around Longwood's historic train depot carry more aging-structure entry-point considerations than the newer subdivisions further out.

Small Lakes Throughout Town

Homes near Longwood's small lakes sit closer to consistent water humidity, a factor worth noting for outdoor species nearby.

Oak Canopy

Big oaks shade many neighborhoods. Smokybrowns fly to roofs and lights; trimming limbs, cleaning gutters and screening soffit vents help.

Apartments

Apartments along SR 434 share walls and plumbing. German cockroaches spread between units; coordinated treatment helps.

Lakes

Small lakes dot the city. Lakefront homes see more palmetto bugs; sealing lake-facing doors helps.

Frosts

Seminole County gets occasional frosts. Outdoor roaches move into garages and walls; sealing gaps helps.

After Hurricanes

Hurricanes Charley in 2004, Irma in 2017 and Ian in 2022 downed oaks and flooded low areas. Debris and wet ground push roaches toward homes.

Pools and Cages

Pool cages shelter Australian cockroaches; keeping them dry helps.

Restaurants

Restaurants along U.S. 17/92 and SR 434 benefit from regular inspections.

SunRail and Commuters

The SunRail station brings commuters to Orlando. Work bags can carry German cockroaches home; keeping bags out of the kitchen helps.

Longwood Arts and Crafts Festival

The long-running arts and crafts festival in the historic district draws big crowds. Prompt cleanup afterward helps.

Pets and Pet Food

Pet food left out overnight draws palmetto bugs; storing it sealed helps.

Moving to Longwood

Newcomers are often surprised by palmetto bugs in the wooded neighborhoods. Most are outdoor roaches wandering in; sealing handles most of it.

Leaf Litter

Oak leaves pile up fast. Raking them back from foundations reduces shelter.

Summer Storms

Summer storms push palmetto bugs out of drains. Keeping covers on and gutters clear help.

Prevention Steps That Fit Longwood

• Screen crawlspace vents on historic homes.
• Trim oak limbs off roofs.
• Keep a clear strip near the Wekiva wetlands.
• Replace worn garage door seals.
• Report apartment sightings early.
• Keep pool cages dry.
• Seal gaps before frosts.

Which Roach Is It?

Reasonable First Steps

Check under sinks and behind appliances after dark, look in garages, sheds and utility areas, note what you see and where, and take a photo with a coin for scale. That tells a specialist whether you're dealing with an indoor German cockroach problem or outdoor species wandering in.

What to Expect When You Call

Tell us your neighborhood or road, what type of home you have and where you've been seeing roaches. We'll connect you with an independent specialist who covers Seminole County, and pricing is discussed directly before any work begins.

Office Parks and Medical Offices

Office parks and medical buildings along SR 434 and near I-4 employ thousands of workers. Break rooms, cafeterias and loading docks are where German cockroaches most often arrive with deliveries and cardboard. Routine professional programs and quick recycling keep them from spreading, which also helps the apartments and neighborhoods nearby.

Soldiers Creek and Wetland Corridors

Soldiers Creek and other small creeks wind through Longwood toward Lake Jesup, lined with cypress and hardwood swamp. Homes that back onto these green corridors see more palmetto bugs and woods roaches after heavy rain. A mowed buffer along the back of the lot and sealed foundations help.

Start here

Which One Did You See?

Small and indoors: German cockroach

• About half an inch, tan to light brown
• Found in kitchens and bathrooms

Large and mostly outdoors: palmetto bug

• 1 to 1.5 inches, reddish-brown
• Also called the American cockroach

Full identification guide →

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