Powder Post Termite vs Nigerian Snouted Termite

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Powder Post Termite Nigerian Snouted Termite
Scientific Name Cryptotermes primus Trinervitermes oeconomus
Order Blattodea Blattodea
Family Kalotermitidae Termitidae
Size 4-6 mm 4-5 mm
Habitat Woodlands Grasslands
Diet Wood Feeders Omnivores
Regions Northern and eastern Australia West Africa, from Senegal to Nigeria
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Powder Post Termite

An Australian drywood termite that infests dry structural timber in buildings across tropical and subtropical regions. Colonies are small and produce fine frass pellets that are ejected from the wood. The species rarely requires soil contact.

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Did You Know?

Infestations often go unnoticed for years until structural timber is so weakened that it collapses, because workers consume wood from the inside out.

Nigerian Snouted Termite

A grass-harvesting nasute termite found across West African savannas, building small dome-shaped mounds. Colonies play a significant ecological role in grass decomposition and nutrient cycling. Workers form organized foraging columns.

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Did You Know?

A single colony can harvest over 60 kg of grass per year, making this species one of the most important herbivores in West African grasslands.