Ripidius pectinicornis Thunberg, a parasitoid of the german cockroach Blattella germanica L., has a sporadic, anthropogenically cosmopolitan distribution. Consequently, there have been numerous conflicting opinions regarding its occurrence in the United States. I argue that although R. pectinicornis has been collected in the continental U.S. it is not established here and that, while relatively frequently collected on Oahu, Hawaii, its status there remains uncertain.