Cold-Resistant Japanese Cockroach Cause for Concern

New Cockroach Appears in New York City

One thing will always be constant in pest management; there is always something new. Having said that, the latest news is there’s a new guy in town, a species of cockroach known as Periplaneta Japonica or Yamato in Japanese. The cockroach is a common pest in its native Japan and scientists believe that these insects hitchhiked to the United States on imported ornamental plants.

The cockroach was recently discovered in New York City during a regular inspection of exterior rodent bait stations. You may be thinking, “So what’s the big deal?” Entomologists, pest management professionals and New Yorkers are concerned because most cockroaches like it hot and humid while this foreign insect thrives in the frigid cold.

Some of you may be saying, “The last thing we need is a new cockroach!” The fact that Periplaneta Japonicas would be competing for food and shelter with other species that are well established in the United States will keep them in check for now. As these cockroaches spend all their time and energy looking for food and shelter, there’s little time for mating. This is nature’s version of pest control. That’s bad news for them, but good news for us.

Cockroaches Adapt Quickly to Knew Environments

In order for any species to be considered a pest of importance, it needs to move indoors and make itself at home. Right now, this is not the case with Periplaneta Japonica however, that does not mean we shouldn’t monitor the situation. Insects, especially cockroaches, are highly adaptive and can quickly adjust to new environments. As I have learned during my time in pest management never give a pest an inch because it will take a mile.