A new cockroach is taking up residency in New York. The Asian cockroach loves the cold.Invades New York.

LiveScience.com reported that an Asian cockroach of the species Periplaneta japonica are being found in New York. This new cockroach species can withstand freezing temperatures. The new cockroach had not been seen in the United States until recently. Last year an exterminator noticed strange-looking roach carcasses on the High Line, which is a mile-long park built on an old elevated train railway in Manhattan. Researchers confirmed that the identity of the species is Periplaneta japonica. The new cockroach is a  native of Asia. It is notable for being able to thrive in cold climates. Most cockroaches in America take shelter indoors when winter comes.

In a statement Rutgers insect biologist Jessica Ware said "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. 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."

Scientists believe that the new cockroach arrived in New York in the soil of a plant along the High Line. The stretch first opened in 2009 and is still partially under construction. Ware and colleagues say it will be difficult to trace the source of the new cockroach.

In a statement Rutgers doctoral student Dominic Evangelista wrote "If we discover more populations in the U.S., we could trace their genes back to try to figure out their exact sources. Because this species is very similar to cockroach species that already exist in the urban environment, they likely will compete with each other for space and for food. The male and female genitalia fit together like a lock and key and that differs by species," Evangelista said. "So we assume that one won't fit the other."

The Journal of Economic Entomology provided the details.