Death's Head Cockroach vs Macrotermes Queen

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Death's Head Cockroach Macrotermes Queen
Scientific Name Blaberus craniifer Macrotermes bellicosus
Order Blattodea Blattodea
Family Blaberidae Termitidae
Size 50-75mm 100-140 mm (queen)
Habitat Caves Grasslands
Diet Fruit Feeders Fungus Feeders
Regions Central America, South America Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Death's Head Cockroach

A large cockroach with a distinctive skull-like marking on its pronotum. It is a popular feeder insect and pet species. When disturbed it can produce a loud hissing sound by expelling air.

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Did You Know?

The dark marking on its thorax closely resembles a human skull or vampire face, inspiring its morbid common name.

Macrotermes Queen

Queens can live for over 25 years (possibly up to 50) and grow to enormous size — a single queen lays up to 30,000 eggs per day, more than any other insect.

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Did You Know?

A Macrotermes queen can live 25-50 years and produce up to 30,000 eggs per day — her abdomen swells so large that she becomes physically incapable of moving.