Invasive Cold Weather Cockroach Species Discovered in New York City
Posted on December 10, 2013
Rutgers researchers have discovered an invasive species of cockroach in New York City. It was first discovered in the High Line park. The Asian species, Periplaneta japonica, has never before been positively identified in Manhattan. The cockroach species can survive in cold weather and snow. Rutgers insect biologists Jessica Ware and Dominic Evangelista documented the presence of the cold loving cockroach in a study published by the Journal of Economic Entomology.
Ware told the National Geographic that the cockroach "thrives on ice."
Ware says in a release, "As the species has invaded Korea and China, there has been some confirmation that it does very well in cold climates, so it is very conceivable that it could live outdoors during winter in New York. That is in addition to its being well suited to live indoors alongside the species that already are here."
The researchers say the cockroach has an anti-freeze like chemical in its blood that helps it survive in cold temperatures. Take a look: