Golden Ant Guest Beetle vs Cuban Burrowing Cockroach

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Golden Ant Guest Beetle Cuban Burrowing Cockroach
Scientific Name Pella funesta Byrsotria fumigata
Order Coleoptera Blattodea
Family Staphylinidae Blaberidae
Size 3-4 mm 30-40 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Scavengers Herbivores
Regions Europe Cuba, Caribbean
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Golden Ant Guest Beetle

A small aleocharine rove beetle that lives at the periphery of Lasius ant nests, feeding on refuse and dead ants. It uses chemical mimicry to avoid aggression from its host ants.

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Did You Know?

When detected by an ant, this beetle deploys a tergal gland secretion that causes the ant to briefly freeze, allowing the beetle to escape.

Cuban Burrowing Cockroach

A stocky burrowing cockroach native to Cuba. It spends most of its life underground in tropical soils.

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Did You Know?

When disturbed, it emits a strong musty odor from defensive glands as a deterrent to predators.