Cathedral Termite vs African Mound Termite
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Cathedral Termite | African Mound Termite |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nasutitermes triodiae | Macrotermes michaelseni |
| Order | Blattodea | Blattodea |
| Family | Termitidae | Termitidae |
| Size | 5-7 mm | 7-12 mm workers |
| Habitat | Grasslands | Grasslands |
| Diet | Wood Feeders | Wood Feeders |
| Regions | Oceania | Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Cathedral Termite
Builds enormous mound structures up to 8 meters tall — the tallest structures relative to builder size of any animal. Mounds have sophisticated ventilation and temperature regulation.
Did You Know?
Proportionally, termite mounds are the tallest structures built by any animal — if humans built at the same scale, our buildings would be over 1.5 km tall.
African Mound Termite
A large termite species that builds towering mounds with sophisticated ventilation systems across African savannas. The mounds maintain remarkably stable internal conditions.
Did You Know?
The ventilation system in these termite mounds inspired the design of the Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, a building that uses 90 percent less energy for climate control than conventional buildings.