We encountered HUGE cockroaches in Bermudea while staying in a very nice upscale resort. Like in Florida, they tend to call them Palmetto bugs. One was in our room and totally freaked me out. We also saw them walking around the pool and the grounds in general. It is a warm weather/humidity issue.

They are called palmetto Beetles.
Although they look like giant cockroaches, they are different in that
Roaches multiply and are hard to get rid of
Roaches love anywhere there's food
Roaches love inside
Roaches require professional bug removal

Palmetto Beetles:
Only come out after long periods of rain
Very rarely seen inside, and by the time you do they're usually dead
After about 2-3 days (at most) they disappear
You never see more than a couple

If it stays dry, you won't see them for months at a time

They are very common in any tropical climate. When you live there, you'll see they are different

I lived there for 5 years. Whatever you choose to call them, I did not consider them a huge issue. A few bait traps scattered around under the furniture and we rarely saw them. And we lived in a older cottage that wasn't well-sealed.
Personally I struggled more with ant control. That meant meticulous cleaning up after food and keeping things sealed in jars or plastic zipper bags.
It's just like anything else when you move to a new place, pest control becomes part of your life.
I highly recommed seeing if you can get ahold of a book called "Tea with Tracey". It's written by a someone who moved to Bermuda and struggled with culture and climate shock. Basically he wrote down all the things he wished someone had told him BEFORE he moved there. If you can't find it on the web, maybe someone you know who lives there/lived there can get you a copy.
Good luck!

There are cockroaches everywhere...including Western Europe. There are over 5000 species of them worldwide, including Western Europe.

On the bright side in forty plus years of traveling to Bermuda I have never once seen a snake.

cmcfong- no skunks either!

I agree with txgirl...ants are more of a nuisance indoors.

There's a big difference between city cochroaches (which are typically smaller but can literally swarm apartments by the hundreds) and palmetto bugs (which are pretty darn huge but most often appear solo).

Slightly off topic, but, I'll mention it anyway....

Another good read for anyone considering a move to an island is Herman Wouk's "Don't Stop the Carnival".

Although it's a bit dated, it's a great read. I realize Bermuda is far more 'civilized' then the fictitious island in the book, but, some things still ring true.

we saw a few cockroaches when staying @ a decent place. It was the last night we were there, thank goodness....didn't sleep a wink after we saw them!

I think any climate that has humidity issues will ecounter these pests. Roaches or palmettos who wants them. I lived in Okinawa Japan many years ago. They would actualy be inside your car. Forget Bermuda think about Florida--known for bugs. The diffence is control. How are they controled in terms of pesticides etc. That is the question. Floridians are often on a schedule with the "bug man" who sprays the home monthly or whatever. I would want to know if Bermuda has any type of program if it is a concern.