Do water bugs fly? Yes, some do. True water bugs, the large insects that live in ponds and streams, fly well at night and head toward lights. But the "waterbug" most New Yorkers find in a kitchen or bathroom is usually a cockroach. The American cockroach can glide and fly short distances. The Oriental cockroach cannot fly at all.
That difference matters more than it sounds. A bug that flew in from outside through an open window is a very different problem from one that came up through a bathtub drain. Below, we break down which bug you probably saw, why it took off, and what it tells you about your building.
What do New Yorkers mean by "waterbug"?
In New York City, "waterbug" is a nickname, not a species. Most of the time it means one of two large cockroaches that love damp spots: the American cockroach or the Oriental cockroach. Supers say it. Landlords say it. Tenants say it when they call about a big roach in the bathtub.
The name stuck because these roaches show up where water is. Think basements, boiler rooms, laundry rooms, the space under a sink, and drains. Calling them waterbugs sounds less alarming than calling them roaches, and some people genuinely believe they are a different, harmless insect.
True water bugs exist too. Entomologists call them giant water bugs (the family Belostomatidae). They are aquatic predators that live in ponds, lakes and slow streams, and they only turn up near homes by accident. If you want the side-by-side details, our guide to the difference between cockroaches and waterbugs covers it.
Can water bugs fly, or do they just glide?
It depends on which bug you mean. True giant water bugs are real fliers. American cockroaches mostly glide or make short, clumsy flights. Oriental cockroaches stay on the ground. German cockroaches have wings but rarely use them.
Here is how the insects people call waterbugs compare:
So if something big and brown flew at you, it was most likely an American cockroach. If the bug was black, shiny and never left the floor, you are almost certainly looking at an Oriental cockroach.
Can a water bug fly into your house?
A true water bug can, but only rarely. They fly between bodies of water at night and get pulled off course by lights. WebMD notes that water bugs "can also fly into swimming pools and gather outside residential areas with bright lights". One might land on a terrace, a backyard in Staten Island or the sidewalk under a lamp post. It will not set up a colony inside your apartment, because it needs water to live and hunt.
Why do flying water bugs seem to come out at night?
Both true water bugs and cockroaches are nocturnal. They move when it is dark and quiet, which is exactly when you walk into the kitchen and flip on the light.
True water bugs are attracted to light during their breeding season, which is why they gather under lamps. Cockroaches react the opposite way. They run from light and head for cracks, which is why a roach that suddenly takes off often seems to fly straight toward you. It is not attacking. It is trying to get away and its glide path happens to cross yours.
Heat plays a part too. American cockroaches are more active, and more likely to take off, on hot and humid nights. That is why flying waterbugs tend to show up in July and August, when basements and boiler rooms get warm and roaches move up through the building.
Do flying waterbugs mean an infestation?
Not always, but one is rarely alone. A single American cockroach that wandered in from the street or a sewer line can be a one-off. Several sightings in a week, or roaches showing up in the same bathroom or kitchen, usually means they are living somewhere in the building and using pipes, wall voids and gaps around plumbing to move between floors.
If what you are seeing is the black Oriental cockroach, it did not fly in. It walked in, almost always from a damp area below you. That points to a moisture or entry problem worth fixing. Our article on what attracts waterbugs to homes in Brooklyn explains the usual causes.
How can you tell which waterbug you saw?
Look at four things: color, size, wings and legs. You can usually tell in a few seconds, even from a blurry phone photo.
- Color. Reddish brown with a lighter band behind the head points to an American cockroach. Shiny black or very dark brown points to an Oriental cockroach.
- Wings. Wings that cover the whole back suggest an American cockroach. Short wing pads or no visible wings mean Oriental.
- Front legs. Thick, pincer-like front legs that look built for grabbing belong to a true water bug. Cockroach legs are thin and spiny.
- Location. Found near a pond, pool or light outdoors? Possibly a true water bug. Found in a bathtub, under the sink or near a floor drain? A cockroach.
Long, thin antennae are another giveaway. Cockroaches have antennae nearly as long as their bodies. True water bugs have short ones you can barely see.
Do water bugs bite or spread germs?
True water bugs can bite, and it hurts. They use their mouthparts to catch small fish and frogs, and they will bite a hand that picks them up. The bite is painful but rarely serious.
Cockroaches almost never bite people. The bigger concern is what they carry. American and Oriental cockroaches travel through sewers, drains and garbage, then walk across counters, dishes and food. That is how they can spread bacteria such as salmonella. Their droppings and shed skins are also a known trigger for asthma and allergies, which matters in apartments with kids.
For a closer look at the health side, see our post on how serious flying cockroaches are.
What should you do if a waterbug flies at you in your apartment?
Stay calm, trap or kill it, then figure out where it came from. The bug itself is not the problem. The gap or damp spot that let it in is.
- Catch it or kill it. A shoe works. So does a cup and a piece of paper. Spraying store-bought insecticide at one roach will not reach the rest of them.
- Take a photo first if you can. A clear picture tells a technician right away whether you are dealing with American, Oriental or German cockroaches, and each one is treated differently.
- Check the usual entry points. Look at floor drains, the gap around the pipes under the sink, the bathtub overflow, radiator pipes and the space under the front door.
- Cut off water. Fix dripping faucets, wipe the tub and sink dry at night and do not leave pet water bowls out overnight if you are seeing roaches.
- Tell the building. In an apartment building, roaches move between units. Let your super or landlord know. In New York City, building owners are generally responsible for pest control in multi-unit buildings, and an unresolved problem can be reported to 311.
For step-by-step treatment ideas, read how to get rid of waterbugs in apartments in Brooklyn and the fastest way to get rid of waterbugs.
How do you keep flying waterbugs out for good?
Seal the way in and take away the water. Sprays treat what you see. Sealing and moisture control stop the next one from showing up.
Start with the places roaches use to travel between floors. Caulk gaps around pipes under sinks and behind toilets. Put fine mesh covers on floor drains and keep drain stoppers in at night. Add a door sweep to doors that lead to a basement, hallway or yard. Window screens without holes keep out the occasional American cockroach or true water bug that comes toward your lights in summer.
Then deal with damp. Run a dehumidifier in a wet basement, fix leaks quickly and do not store cardboard boxes on basement floors. Our guide on preventing waterbugs in your Brooklyn apartment and our post on keeping cockroaches out of your apartment walk through more of these fixes.
If you would rather have a professional find and close every gap, our pest-proofing service does exactly that.
When should you call a waterbug exterminator?
Call when you see more than one in a week, when you find them in daylight, or when they keep coming back after you have sealed and cleaned. Seeing roaches during the day usually means their hiding places are full.
Large cockroaches that live in drains, basements and wall voids are hard to reach with store products. A licensed technician can identify the species, find where they are nesting and treat the source, not just the bugs you see. OnGuard's waterbug extermination service covers Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island, and our cockroach exterminators handle German roach problems in kitchens and bathrooms as well. If you are not sure what you are dealing with, contact us with a photo and we will tell you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do waterbugs fly in NYC apartments?
The ones most people see indoors are American cockroaches, which can glide and make short flights, especially on hot nights. Oriental cockroaches, the black "waterbugs" common in basements, cannot fly.
Can a water bug fly toward light?
True water bugs fly toward bright lights at night, which is why they gather under porch lights and streetlights. Cockroaches do the opposite and run from light.
Are flying water bugs dangerous?
True water bugs can give a painful bite if handled, but they are not a household pest. Flying cockroaches rarely bite, but they can carry bacteria onto food surfaces and trigger allergies.
Why are waterbugs coming up my drain?
Drains connect to sewer lines and damp pipe chases where American and Oriental cockroaches live. Drain covers, stoppers at night and sealed gaps around pipes help keep them out.
Is a waterbug the same as a palmetto bug?
"Palmetto bug" is a nickname for the American cockroach, used mostly in the South. In New York, the same insect is usually called a waterbug.
