Globe Termite vs Cape Mountain Cockroach
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Globe Termite | Cape Mountain Cockroach |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Globitermes sulphureus | Aptera fusca |
| Order | Blattodea | Blattodea |
| Family | Termitidae | Blattidae |
| Size | 4-7 mm | 35-45 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Heathland |
| Diet | Wood Feeders | Herbivores |
| Regions | Southeast Asia, from Thailand to Indonesia | South Africa (Western Cape) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
Globe Termite
A Southeast Asian termite with soldiers that practice autothysis, or suicidal self-destruction. When threatened, soldiers contract their abdominal muscles to rupture their body wall, releasing a yellow, sticky secretion that entangles attackers. Colonies build small carton nests.
Did You Know?
Soldiers literally explode when attacked, rupturing a gland filled with toxic yellow liquid that solidifies into a sticky trap, sacrificing themselves for the colony.
Cape Mountain Cockroach
A large, wingless cockroach endemic to the mountains of South Africa. It lives in fynbos vegetation and rocky outcrops.
Did You Know?
It is one of the few cockroach species adapted to cool mountain climates and is completely wingless.