DALLAS (NEWSnet/AP) — Cockroaches are experts at surviving indoors, hiding in kitchen pipes or musty drawers. But they didn't start that way.

A new study uses genetics to chart the cockroach spread throughout the globe, from humble beginnings in southeast Asia to Europe and beyond.

The research was published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Findings span thousands of years and suggest the pests may have spread by hitching a ride with another species: people.

Researchers analyzed genes from 280 cockroaches from 17 countries and six continents. They confirmed that the German cockroach, a species found worldwide, originated in Asia around 2,100 years ago. Scientists have suspected the German cockroach's Asian origins, since similar species still are found there.

The cockroaches then globe-trotted via two major routes: west the Middle East, about 1,200 years ago, perhaps hitchhiking in soldiers' breadbaskets; and as stowaways on Dutch and British East India Company trade routes to get to Europe about 270 years ago.

Inventions like the steam engine and indoor plumbing likely helped the insects travel even farther.

Researchers said the study may lead to more effective pest control.

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and get cozy living indoors, where they are most commonly found today.