Is this a cockroach?

Answer

Dear Ryan

this is not a cockroach, but a bug, more specifically the ‘common smoke bug’, Rhyparochromus vulgaris. This bug belongs to the Hemiptera, family Lygaeidae (soil bugs).

The common smoke bug is originally a southern species, which is increasingly observed here. The adults hibernate in sheltered places, often several together, e.g. under the bark of dead wood; sometimes they enter the house that way with firewood. They are also increasingly encountered from the end of August, in or around homes, looking for a suitable wintering place.

These bugs feed on seeds of all kinds of plants and do not cause any damage, especially in the home. In the spring, with the first rays of the sun, these bugs try to get outside again and you can notice them near the windows. So definitely not an insect to worry about.