Banded Hairstreak vs Protermes Inquiline Termite

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Banded Hairstreak Protermes Inquiline Termite
Scientific Name Satyrium calanus Protermes prorepens
Order Lepidoptera Blattodea
Family Lycaenidae Termitidae
Size 25-32 mm wingspan 2-4 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Fungus Feeders
Regions Eastern United States and southeastern Canada East Africa, Southern Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Banded Hairstreak

A small dark brown butterfly with conspicuous bands of white-edged dark dashes on its hindwing underside. It has a short thin tail and a small orange spot near the tail.

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Did You Know?

It rubs its hindwings together after landing, moving the tails to mimic antennae and trick predators into attacking the wrong end.

Protermes Inquiline Termite

A small inquiline termite that lives within the mounds of larger fungus-growing termite species in Africa. Colonies are tiny and discrete, occupying small chambers within the walls of the host mound. Workers feed on fungal material.

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Did You Know?

Inquiline termites like this species are the cuckoos of the termite world, sneaking into other species' elaborate mounds to exploit their resources.