Splendid Earth-boring Beetle vs Bilobatus Soil Termite

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Splendid Earth-boring Beetle Bilobatus Soil Termite
Scientific Name Bolbocerosoma farctum Cubitermes bilobatodes
Order Coleoptera Blattodea
Family Geotrupidae Termitidae
Size 8-14mm 4-5 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Forests
Diet Fungus Feeders Fungus Feeders
Regions North America Central and West Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Splendid Earth-boring Beetle

A stout rotund beetle with a polished amber-brown body. It digs deep burrows in sandy soil and is attracted to lights at night.

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Did You Know?

It helps propagate underground fungi by carrying fungal spores between burrows acting as a subterranean gardener.

Bilobatus Soil Termite

An African soil-feeding termite found in moist forests and forest-savanna transitional zones. Mounds are small and may have a single cap or multiple cap layers. Workers feed on the highly organic upper soil layers.

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Did You Know?

The soil processed and expelled by Cubitermes colonies has significantly altered mineral composition compared to surrounding soil, creating distinct micro-habitats.