Horrifying footage shows one of the grosser side-effects of major flooding like that caused by Tropical Storm Barry on Saturday.
Video shared by Louisiana news outlet WWL shows a cluster of dozens of cockroaches on a curb, fighting to get above encroaching flood waters.
While cockroaches prefer to hide in dark, moist areas by day, according to extermination company Orkin, the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Barry in Louisiana brought cockroaches out into the light of day as they fought to stay alive.
—Chris McCrory (@ckm_news) July 13, 2019
The video shows cockroaches of all sizes climbing to get up onto the curb, and swimming to stay afloat.
Those currently hunkering down during Barry should be on the lookout for bugs after the storm as well.
An entomologist at Louisiana State University said in 2005 that floods can cause smoky brown cockroaches, which usually live outside, to move indoors in the search for food.
"During heavy rain, they may invade houses in larger numbers," Dr. Dale Pollet said. "Applications of insecticides containing permethrin may be made to infested areas and around doorways, windows and so forth on the outside."
- Read more:
- Hurricane Barry is weakening as it moves over Louisiana, but heavy rain and flooding could still worsen — here are the latest updates
- Unusually high water levels could cause life-threatening flooding in New Orleans from a tropical storm likely to become a hurricane
- Hurricane Barry is hitting Louisiana as the first hurricane of 2019. Here's why storms are getting stronger, slower, and wetter.
- Tropical Storm Barry is set to wreak havoc on weekend travel — here's what you need to know about flights
