Bug FAQAmber Wood Cockroach
Ectobius vittiventris · Order: Blattodea · Family: Ectobiidae
Also called: Garden Cockroach
Source: Wikipedia
Adult amber wood cockroaches are 9 to 14 mm long with a uniformly light-brown body and translucent pronotum edges. They live outdoors in low bushes, gardens and under pots, and may enter homes by accident, especially when attracted to lights. They feed only on decaying plant material and die within a few days inside houses because of the lack of food.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The pronotum is uniformly light brown and its edges are translucent. Both sexes have wings that extend beyond the abdomen tip and may show fine dots.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure between 9 and 14 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
They are harmless to humans, do not infest stored food, and die quickly indoors due to lack of food. They can fly and may accidentally enter houses, especially near their natural habitats.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
They are completely harmless to humans.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
They are attracted to artificial lights. Because they can fly, they may enter homes near their outdoor habitats.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are found outdoors in low bushes, gardens and under pots. Warm, dry summers can trigger mass reproduction and increase the chance of them entering homes.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
They eat only decomposing plant material.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The female’s egg case (ootheca) is 2.9 to 4.9 mm long, slightly curved, with fine transverse lines showing the egg chambers.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Since about 1999 the species has been moving northward, reaching Germany by 2002.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Originally from south of the Alps, they are now established throughout southern Europe and have spread northward into Germany.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
They look similar in size, shape, and colour to the German cockroach, but have a uniformly brown pronotum instead of two dark stripes.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
Do amber wood cockroaches bite or sting?
No, they are completely harmless to humans and do not bite or sting.
Source: Wikipedia
Can they damage food or belongings in the house?
No, they do not feed on stored food or household items and die quickly indoors.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I keep them out of my home?
Reduce outdoor lighting that attracts them and seal entry points, especially near gardens and pots.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Ectobiidae)
German CockroachBlattella germanicaCan spread germs or disease
Pennsylvania Wood CockroachParcoblatta pennsylvanicaNuisance, not dangerous
Asian CockroachBlattella asahinaiNuisance, not dangerous
Brown-banded CockroachSupella longipalpaCan spread germs or disease
Variable CockroachPlanuncus tingitanus
Tawny CockroachEctobius pallidusSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ectobius_vittiventris
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.