Is a palmetto bug the same thing as a cockroach?

Question: Is a palmetto bug the same thing as a cockroach?

Answer: Palmetto bug is a colloquial term that especially common in many parts of the South, which usually refers to American cockroaches, Smokeybrown cockroaches or even some species of large beetles. So, as long as someone is calling a cockroach a Palmetto bug, they are kind of accurate. But, referring to beetles as Palmetto bugs is really a stretch when used in casual communication.