Dusky Cockroach vs Mound-building Termite

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Dusky Cockroach Mound-building Termite
Scientific Name Periplaneta nigra Macrotermes gilvus
Order Blattodea Blattodea
Family Blattidae Termitidae
Size 25-32 mm 5-12 mm
Habitat Forests Farmland
Diet Herbivores Fungus Feeders
Regions Sub-Saharan Africa Southeast Asia, from India to the Philippines
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Dusky Cockroach

A dark-colored cockroach closely related to the American cockroach. It inhabits tropical forests across Africa.

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Did You Know?

It can often be found sharing habitats with the American cockroach in African port cities.

Mound-building Termite

A fungus-growing termite widespread across Southeast Asia that builds subterranean to semi-subterranean nests with low mound structures. It is a significant pest of rubber, coconut, and oil palm plantations. Workers forage via covered galleries.

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Did You Know?

In parts of Thailand and Laos, the winged reproductives of this species are fried and eaten as a popular seasonal snack during the early rainy season.