Hooded Cockroach vs Light-colored Subterranean Termite

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Hooded Cockroach Light-colored Subterranean Termite
Scientific Name Diploptera punctata Heterotermes aureus
Order Blattodea Blattodea
Family Blaberidae Rhinotermitidae
Size 20-25 mm 4-6 mm
Habitat Forests Deserts & Drylands
Diet Detritivores Wood Feeders
Regions Asia, Oceania Arizona, southern California, northwestern Mexico
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Hooded Cockroach

The only known cockroach that is truly viviparous and produces a protein-rich milk.

💡

Did You Know?

Its brood sac milk contains protein crystals more calorie-dense than cow milk.

Light-colored Subterranean Termite

A desert-adapted subterranean termite common in the Sonoran Desert of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Colonies build extensive underground tunnel systems and infest structural wood. Workers are pale golden-yellow in color.

💡

Did You Know?

This is the most common structural pest termite in the Sonoran Desert region, thriving in one of the hottest and driest environments inhabited by any termite.