Video above: Pinellas residents show resilience, determined to rebuild after Helene

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — It’s not unusual for homeowners and beachgoers to find strange items that have washed ashore due to a hurricane or strong storm, but what about pests?

As residents along the Gulf Coast slowly return to their homes following Hurricane Helene — the Category 4 storm that caused “catastrophic” destruction and loss of life after making landfall in Florida last week — they might find some critters in their homes.

While cleaning out their flooded home at Sunset Beach over the weekend, one family came across a few creepy crawlies that found a unique hiding spot to ride out the storm.

A photo shared with NewsNation affiliate WFLA shows at least five cockroaches or “palmetto bugs” huddled inside a coffee pot to escape the flood waters that rose inside the home.

You know the old urban legend that says “Cockroaches will be the lone survivors of a nuclear war”? Well, somehow all the roaches inside the coffee pot managed to survive.

Cockroaches are very common insects in Florida, especially in southwestern areas due to the state’s humid climate. According to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, 37.6% of Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg homeowners report at least one infestation a year.

Despite the family being able to clean out their home and the remnants left behind from Helene, Sunset Beach remains accessible only by foot, the Treasure Island Police Department said Monday.

No vehicles, including contractor vehicles, are allowed onto the beach.

Pinellas County residents can find more information on assistance and resources here.