Malagasy Mound-building Termite vs Short-winged Firefly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Malagasy Mound-building Termite Short-winged Firefly
Scientific Name Microcerotermes subtilis Lucidota atra
Order Blattodea Coleoptera
Family Termitidae Lampyridae
Size 3-5 mm 8-13 mm
Habitat Underground Underground
Diet Wood Feeders Herbivores
Regions Madagascar North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Malagasy Mound-building Termite

A small termite species that constructs conspicuous carton mounds on tree trunks or the ground. Workers are pale and soft-bodied with darkened head capsules.

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Did You Know?

Its dark carton mounds are made from a mixture of soil, chewed wood, and fecal material cemented together, and they can persist for years even after the colony dies.

Short-winged Firefly

A dark-bodied, day-active firefly that has lost the ability to produce light as an adult. It has a black body with a reddish-orange pronotum and is often found on tree trunks and vegetation.

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Did You Know?

Despite being a firefly, this diurnal species relies on chemical pheromones rather than light signals to find mates.