The Entomological Society of America reports that the cockroach in the genus Ectobius is an excellent example of an invasive organism, and it is the most frequently found cockroach living in a big region stretching from northernmost Europe to southernmost Africa.

Given a long fossil history in Europe, researchers previously thought that Ectobius originated from the Old World. However, a surprising new finding has changed that view. It now seems that  Ectobius may have come from the New World.

Four ancient Ectobius species were recently found in the 49-million-year-old Green River Formation near Rifle, Colorado in deposits that are approximately five million years older than the Baltic amber. However, these cockroaches quickly died off in North America. The cause of their death in North America is a mystery, but it clearly endured in the Old Word.

“About 65 years ago, several entomologists in the northeastern United States noted that four species of Ectobius were present in North America,” said study author Dr. Conrad Labandeira in a statement. “It was always assumed that these four newcomers were the first Ectobius species to have ever lived in North America. But the discovery in Colorado proves that their relatives were here nearly 50 million years ago.”

The newly found species of Ectobius are discussed in greater detail in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America.