Cathedral Termite vs Australian Web Spinner

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cathedral Termite Australian Web Spinner
Scientific Name Nasutitermes triodiae Metoligotoma reducta
Order Blattodea Embioptera
Family Termitidae Australembiidae
Size 5-7 mm 8.0-12.0 mm
Habitat Grasslands Woodlands
Diet Wood Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Oceania Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

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.

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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.

Australian Web Spinner

An Australian web spinner found under eucalyptus bark in eastern Australia. It is endemic to the continent and belongs to a uniquely Australian family.

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Did You Know?

Australia has its own endemic family of web spinners found nowhere else on Earth.