A southern species spreading north through Europe; the first confirmed Polish record dates from 2024. Pale, uniformly yellowish-brown and attracted to light. Can be mistaken for the German cockroach but lacks the pronotal stripes.
Length
9–12 mm
Habitat
gardens, urban greenery; in autumn sometimes flies into homes
Ootheca large, oval, with more than 30 longitudinal ridges.
Comes to light – in autumn it may turn up indoors.
Similar species
E. pallidus (almost identical); differs from the German cockroach by lacking pronotal stripes.
Distribution
First recorded in Poland in 2024 (Pilawa, Mazovian Lowland), confirmed by DNA barcoding. Sites often lie along busy roads – the species probably travels with transport. Expanding from southern Europe through Switzerland, Germany and Czechia.
