Drywood Termite vs Asian Subterranean Termite

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Drywood Termite Asian Subterranean Termite
Scientific Name Cryptotermes brevis Coptotermes gestroi
Order Blattodea Blattodea
Family Kalotermitidae Rhinotermitidae
Size 4-7 mm 3-6 mm
Habitat Indoors Caves
Diet Wood Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions North America, South America, Central America, Africa, Oceania Southeast Asia, Caribbean, South America, Florida
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Drywood Termite

A small termite that lives entirely within dry wood without needing contact with soil. It forms small colonies inside furniture, structural timbers, and dead branches.

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Did You Know?

Drywood termites produce distinctive hexagonal fecal pellets that they kick out of tiny holes in wood, often the first sign of their presence.

Asian Subterranean Termite

A highly invasive subterranean termite that has spread throughout tropical regions worldwide. They are especially destructive in urban environments and boat timbers.

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Did You Know?

They have been transported globally through infested shipping materials and now threaten wooden structures on every tropical continent.