Human Tripping Apparatus
When I lived in Tucson, Arizona, I was troubled in my sleep by cockroaches running across my bare belly in the stifling heat. I'd snatch the cockroaches and hurl them through the dark, and listen to a satisfying chitinous crack against the wall. Still, there had to be a better way to deal with the roaches.

One day, I learned cockroaches sink and drown in soapy water. So, I placed pots of soapy water throughout the apartment, and baited the pots by suspending meat chunks above the pots, using wire hangers as meat skewers.

I never caught any roaches, but quickly learned these devices were perfect for tripping people in the dark.
(Perv With A Dog had his eyes pecked out by scrub jays on, Thu 17 Nov 2011, 21:58, 6 replies)

Clicks
For making me laugh out loud after a rather grim day
(insomniac-surfer oh go on then, just this once, Thu 17 Nov 2011, 23:12, closed)

That's fucked up.
My last house was full of roaches, but not in the bedrooms. The thought of the fuckers running across me makes me shiver like the thought of giving Anne Widdicombe head.

It was bad enough picking up some washing up from the draining board, and having one of them run out.
( The Awful Puppy Bakery is still bored, Thu 17 Nov 2011, 23:19, closed)

I consider myself lucky
That I have never actually seen a cockroach
(insomniac-surfer oh go on then, just this once, Thu 17 Nov 2011, 23:52, closed)

Jesus, I'd have surrounded my bed with a burning trough every night.
Don't the roaches there fly though? I know the massive fuckers I saw in Florida used to fly -- getting one of those fuckers oit of the apartment wasn't fun and even squashing them was tricky.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Fri 18 Nov 2011, 16:04, closed)

Night Of The Palo Verde Beetles
I suppose Arizona roaches fly too, but I don't think I ever saw that. I saw them waving their wings in excitement just before they had sexual relations, but that was less flight of transport than flight of ecstasy....

One night I'll remember was when the Palo Verde Beetles came out. Palo Verde Beetles sort-of look like roaches, but they are much larger, attracted by neon light, and prone to swarming. They come out just one night a year for a few hours of romance, so you might go years without seeing them, but they're always there, lurking in the ground, waiting for that special night. One special neon night, I saw an Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich Restaurant plastered with these harmless but grotesque-looking beetles. It was like some kind of science fiction movie! But at least they leave you alone in your bed.
(Perv With A Dog had his eyes pecked out by scrub jays on, Fri 18 Nov 2011, 23:46, closed)

The people there called these roaches "Palmetto Bugs" and they were huuuge (at least to me).
Sounds like a similar thing, but having googled Palo Verde Beetles the ones I saw were a little smaller I think. Good thing was they didn't seem to want to get in so as long as the nets were over the balcony door all was OK.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Sat 19 Nov 2011, 15:00, closed)