Oct 9, 2008 9:48 am US/Eastern
Creepy Problem Crawling Into Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) ―
With all of the problems facing Florida, this one may be at the bottom of the list, or on the bottom of your shoe. But reasearchers at the University of Florida are warning you may see more and more, cockroaches.
Scientists say the cockroach population may be on the rise in the state. The researchers at the university's Institute of Food and Agricultural Science say there's been an interest in importing cockroaches into the state as lizard food.
The concern is all of the different types of cockroaches could create new varieties. They are particularly concerned about the Turkestan cockroach. This particular species appeared in the U.S., particularly in the southwestern part of the country. It made it's way to the U.S. by catching a ride on U.S. military planes returning from the Middle East.
Some of the more popular choices people can get shipped to the state via the Internet include the lobster cockroach, orange-spotted, and the ever popular 3-inch-long Madagascar hissing roach.
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