A species of cockroach never found before in the U.S. has been identified in Manhattan, N.Y., according to the Associated Press.
To make matters worse, the species, known as Periplaneta japonica, can not only survive living indoors when it's warm, but also outdoors in freezing temperatures. This means New Yorkers have to worry year-round about cockroaches getting inside their homes.
The species is well documented in Asia, but was never confirmed in the U.S. until recently when Rutgers insect biologist Jessica Ware and Dominic Evagelista studied and documented its arrival in the U.S. as part of a study recently published by the Journal of Economic Entomology.
"About 20 years ago colleagues of ours in Japan reared nymphs of this species and measured their tolerance to being able to survive in snow," said Ware in a statement. "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 cockroach species was first seen in N.Y. back in 2012 by an exterminator working on the High Line. Scientists feel it is too soon to predict the impact the species will have, but there is "probably little cause for concern" according to AP.
Scientists believe the cockroach entered the country in the soil of ornamental plants. They've also confirmed that the bug can survive easily outdoors in the freezing cold.
"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," Ware said. "I could imagine japonica being outside and walking around, though I don't know how well it would do in dirty New York snow."
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