Drywood Termite vs Pale-bordered Field Cockroach

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Drywood Termite Pale-bordered Field Cockroach
Scientific Name Cryptotermes brevis Pseudomops septentrionalis
Order Blattodea Blattodea
Family Kalotermitidae Ectobiidae
Size 4-7 mm 10-15mm
Habitat Indoors Farmland
Diet Wood Feeders Herbivores
Regions North America, South America, Central America, Africa, Oceania North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

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.

Pale-bordered Field Cockroach

A small outdoor cockroach with a distinctive pale border around its dark pronotum. It is an active daytime flier unlike most cockroaches. It feeds on pollen and decomposing vegetation.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most cockroaches, it is diurnal and can be seen actively flying in sunny fields during the day.