A strain of cockroaches in Europe has evolved to outsmart the sugar traps used to eradicate them.

US scientists found that the mutant cockroaches had a "reorganised" sense of taste, making them perceive the glucose used to coat poisoned bait not as sweet but rather as bitter.

The findings are published in the journal Science.

Scientist Dr Coby Schal from North Carolina State University explains how his team measured directly from the insects' taste receptors - the equivalent of our taste buds - to make the discovery.

Footage courtesy of North Carolina State University