It’s So Hot, Hudson Valley Cockroaches May Start Flying

As if the heat and humidity weren't enough of a reason to stay indoors, cockroaches in Poughkeepsie, Newburgh and Kingston may go airborne this weekend.

NBC News in New York reports that scientists are warning that cockroaches in our area may be inspired by the heat and humidity to do something they rarely do: fly. Those disgusting insects have the ability to fly, but rarely do because of the amount of food and shelter that is easily accessible to them by walking.

In the South, cockroaches are commonly seen flying around, inspired by the constant heat and humidity. Because they usually congregate around palmetto trees, the roaches are sometimes called "palmetto bugs" by southerners.

So if you're heading outdoors in areas where cockroaches are known to congregate, make sure you look up. That may not be a beetle in the air, it might actually be a flying cockroach.