Species introCountry intro
Ectobius vittiventris - female
One of the new arrivals in woodland cockroaches in the Netherlands. This Italian species crossed the Alps into Switzerland around the beginning of this century and has been moving north into Germany since. First records for the Netherlands are from 2013.
I've added the German vernacular name as a tag, because most publications and internet searches for this species will refer to this (many, many "worried" records from Germany and Switzerland about this species entering homes in fall to find shelter for winter)
Here are some close-ups of the head and pronotum:
''Ectobius vittiventris'' is a cockroach that mainly lives in the South of the Alps. During the past years, it managed to spread in the Northern regions of the Alps and can regularly be seen in Swiss cities like Bern, Geneva and Zurich.
The animal is harmless to humans. As it does not eat any nutritions humans store in their houses the insect dies within days after entering someone's home.
