Harvester Termite vs Soil-feeding Cubitermes Termite

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Harvester Termite Soil-feeding Cubitermes Termite
Scientific Name Hodotermes mossambicus Cubitermes fungifaber
Order Blattodea Blattodea
Family Hodotermitidae Termitidae
Size 8–15 mm Workers 3-5 mm, soldiers 5-7 mm
Habitat Grasslands Forests
Diet Wood Feeders Fungus Feeders
Regions Southern and Eastern Africa Central and West Africa
Conservation Not Evaluated Not Evaluated

Harvester Termite

One of the few termite species that forages above ground in broad daylight. Workers have functional eyes and harvest dry grass from savanna surfaces.

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Did You Know?

It is one of the only termites with fully developed compound eyes, an adaptation for its daytime foraging lifestyle.

Soil-feeding Cubitermes Termite

A soil-feeding termite that builds distinctive mushroom-shaped mounds. It processes large volumes of soil to extract organic nutrients.

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Did You Know?

Its mushroom-shaped mound caps shed rainwater efficiently, protecting the colony from tropical downpours.