Word.
Last fall, we were at the beach in FL, six stories high, enjoying the balcony well after dark and close to bed time. Not a tree to be found anywhere--- just the sea oats on the dunes six floors below. I came in from the balcony, flipped on the kitchen light, and saw the biggest Palmetto bug I had ever seen. It had to have been four inches end to end, and then the antennae added to that. It just stared me down, as if it owned the counter it was on. My size 8 1/2 shoe almost wasn't big enough to kill it. It required three furious whacks to do it in. Yes, I kept the lights on that night so I could sleep. Hey, I'm a girl. Don't judge. Dh took one look at my face as I said I was leaving the lights on and said "OK. Good night".
I hate Palmetto Bugs with every bone in my body. I am not looking forward to those again when we head back to FL. Ugh.
I was traumatized by one when I was about eight years old and still have flashbacks about it. *shudder*
Growing up in the 70s, my dad used to swear that he could see them just licking their lips after he drenched them in Raid.
Snakes, gators, and hurricanes don't scare me about living in FL, but those Palmetto bugs.... ugh. Not looking forward to that at all.