Protermes Inquiline Termite vs Four-spotted Cuckoo Bee

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Protermes Inquiline Termite Four-spotted Cuckoo Bee
Scientific Name Protermes prorepens Nomada leucophthalma
Order Blattodea Hymenoptera
Family Termitidae Apidae
Size 2-4 mm 9-12 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Fungus Feeders Nectar Feeders
Regions East Africa, Southern Africa Europe, Western Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Protermes Inquiline Termite

A small inquiline termite that lives within the mounds of larger fungus-growing termite species in Africa. Colonies are tiny and discrete, occupying small chambers within the walls of the host mound. Workers feed on fungal material.

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Did You Know?

Inquiline termites like this species are the cuckoos of the termite world, sneaking into other species' elaborate mounds to exploit their resources.

Four-spotted Cuckoo Bee

A wasp-like cuckoo bee with reddish-brown and yellow markings that parasitizes Andrena mining bees. It is one of the earliest flying spring bees in Europe.

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Did You Know?

It closely resembles a small wasp rather than a bee, which helps it avoid being recognized as a threat by its hosts.