Cockroach Control in Havana, FL

Updated September 2026

Cockroach Control in Havana

Havana is a small town in northeastern Gadsden County, about 15 miles north of Tallahassee on U.S. 27 near the Georgia line. It was founded in the early 1900s and named for the Cuban capital because of its shade-tobacco industry, which grew wrapper leaf for cigars. After tobacco faded, Havana reinvented itself as an antiques and arts town, and its historic downtown of brick storefronts draws visitors from Tallahassee on weekends.

The rolling red-clay hills, ravines and hardwood forests of the Tallahassee Red Hills surround Havana, with Lake Talquin and the Ochlockonee River to the south. Winters bring hard freezes and summers are hot and humid. Smokybrowns, woods roaches and palmetto bugs are the most common calls, with Oriental cockroaches in cool crawlspaces.

A Genuine Seasonal Cool-Down

As part of North Florida, Havana sees more of an actual cool stretch in winter than the rest of the state, though it still stays warm enough for outdoor species to remain active most of the year.

The Cockroaches Havana Residents Report Most

Notes by Type of Property

Shade Tobacco Heritage

From the late 1800s into the 1970s, Gadsden County grew shade tobacco under cloth tents, and Havana was a center of the trade. Old tobacco barns and packing houses still stand on some properties. These aging wooden buildings shelter palmetto bugs and woods roaches, and those near homes are worth keeping clean or sealed.

Antique Shops and Stored Goods

Havana's downtown is full of antique shops and galleries. Old furniture, boxes and paper goods can carry roaches, especially German and brown-banded cockroaches, and stored items shelter palmetto bugs. Shops benefit from regular checks, and buyers should inspect furniture, especially drawers and upholstery, before bringing it home.

• Drawers and backs of furniture
• Old cardboard boxes
• Upholstered pieces
• Items stored in damp sheds

The Red Hills

The Red Hills region has rolling clay hills, ravines and hardwood forests unlike most of Florida. Leaf litter builds up deep under oaks, hickories and magnolias, giving woods roaches and smokybrowns plenty of habitat. Raking litter back from foundations and trimming limbs help.

Hard Freezes

Havana gets hard freezes most winters. Outdoor roaches move into crawlspaces, basements, wall voids and garages when it turns cold, and some show up indoors. Screening vents and sealing gaps in fall help.

Crawlspaces and Oriental Cockroaches

Many older homes have crawlspaces, and a few have basements, which are rare in Florida. These cool, damp spaces occasionally hold Oriental cockroaches, which prefer cooler conditions than other species. Improving ventilation and drainage and sealing floor penetrations help.

After Hurricane Michael

Hurricane Michael in 2018 caused heavy damage in Gadsden County, downing trees and damaging roofs. Damaged homes gave roaches new entry points, and downed trees created shelter. Repairing roofs and soffits and clearing debris help.

Moving to Havana

Newcomers are often surprised by the number of smokybrowns and woods roaches in the Red Hills. Most are outdoor roaches wandering in; sealing and litter control handle most of it.

A Year of Cockroach Activity in Havana

Quick Notes for Havana

Tobacco-Farming Heritage Land

Havana's surrounding land was historically built around shade tobacco farming, and some of that agricultural land still borders neighborhoods today.

A Historic Antique-Shop Downtown

The town's well-known antique-shop downtown includes older commercial and residential buildings with their own aging entry points and plumbing considerations.

Downtown Buildings

Downtown's brick buildings share walls and have older plumbing. Roaches can move between shops; sealing gaps and coordinating with neighbors help.

Lake Talquin and the Ochlockonee

Lake Talquin and the Ochlockonee River lie south of town. Homes near the water see more humidity and outdoor roaches after rain; sealing doors helps.

Manufactured Homes

Manufactured homes are common in rural Gadsden County. Skirting gaps and damp ground underneath shelter roaches; repairing skirting helps.

Close to Tallahassee

Many residents commute to Tallahassee. Boxes and groceries can carry German cockroaches; unpacking in the garage helps.

Wells and Septic

Rural homes use wells and septic systems. Pump houses stay damp; checking them for roaches helps.

Firewood and Woodpiles

Wood heat is common. Store firewood off the ground and away from walls to keep woods roaches out.

Restaurants and Cafes

Downtown cafes and restaurants serve weekend crowds. Regular inspections and sealed storage help.

Pines and Smokybrowns

Pines and hardwoods shade most homes. Smokybrowns fly from the canopy to roofs and lights; screening vents and cleaning gutters help.

Prevention Steps That Fit Havana

• Inspect antique furniture before bringing it home.
• Rake leaf litter back from foundations.
• Screen crawlspace vents.
• Trim limbs off roofs.
• Keep old barns tidy or sealed.
• Store firewood away from walls.
• Seal gaps before winter.

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 Gadsden County, and pricing is discussed directly before any work begins.

Pets and Outdoor Feeding

Pet food left on porches overnight draws palmetto bugs and woods roaches right to the door. Feeding at set times, picking up bowls after meals and storing food in sealed containers remove an easy food source close to the house.

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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