The Florida man who died after being crowned champion of a cockroach-eating contest last month choked to death, an autopsy report concluded. The report released Monday says 32-year-old Edward Archbold of West Palm Beach died as a result of “asphyxia due to choking and aspiration of gastric contents.” The Broward Medical Examiner’s Office added in a statement that “Laboratory testing for lethal intoxicating substances, stigmata of anaphylazis, or metabolic derangements were negative.” The death has been ruled an accident. Archbold had eaten 26 bugs, mostly discoid roaches, on his way to winning the contest in October at Ben Siegel Reptile Store in Deerfield Beach. The grand prize was a female ivory ball python, which sell for about $1,000. Shortly afterward he got sick and later collapsed in front of the store, authorities said. He was pronounced dead at Broward Health North, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said. Authorities said none of the other contestants became ill.
Officials in New Jersey have unleashed thousands of weevils to devour the so-called mile-a-minute vine weed that's been flourishing since Superstorm Sandy.
The tiny bugs only eat the mile-a-minute weed.
The weed, which thrives on sunshine and moist soil and can grow up to 6 inches a day, has been spreading throughout Watchung Reservation since Sandy downed shade trees.
The weed also gained strength from a wet summer.
New York City officials recently announced plans to do the same in the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island.
Union County Parks and Community Renewal environmental specialist Betty Ann Kelly tells The Star-Ledger of Newark the reservation's trails may need more than 2,000 weevils to keep the weed in check.
Officials say the 2,000 bugs that have been released are expected to multiply over the next two years, battling the weed as it advances.
