Cockroach helps farmers

Loathed by homeowner and restaurateur, the lowly cockroach is gaining some respect in the agricultural community.

Researchers in South Texas are beginning to sing the praises of a flying cockroach from Asia which has shown a voracious appetite for pests that plague farmers. They concede, however, that most people would still feel revulsion at the sight of the helpful predator.

"It just brings out this visceral reaction in people," said Bob Pfannenstiel, an entomologist with the US Department of Agriculture. "There's too much cultural antipathy just because of the other cockroaches."