Red Oak Borer vs Malagasy Mound-building Termite
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Red Oak Borer | Malagasy Mound-building Termite |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Enaphalodes rufulus | Microcerotermes subtilis |
| Order | Coleoptera | Blattodea |
| Family | Cerambycidae | Termitidae |
| Size | 18-30 mm | 3-5 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Underground |
| Diet | Wood Feeders | Wood Feeders |
| Regions | Eastern North America | Madagascar |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Red Oak Borer
A large reddish-brown cerambycid that breeds in living red oaks across eastern North America. It has a strict two-year life cycle with synchronized adult emergence in odd-numbered years in some regions. Larvae bore into heartwood.
Did You Know?
Outbreaks of this beetle in the Ozarks during the early 2000s killed thousands of red oak trees across the region.
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.
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.