Teratembiid Web Spinner vs Mediterranean Webspinner

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Teratembiid Web Spinner Mediterranean Webspinner
Scientific Name Teratembia geniculata Haploembia solieri
Order Embioptera Embioptera
Family Teratembiidae Oligotomidae
Size 6.0-9.0 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Heathland Heathland
Diet Wood Feeders Herbivores
Regions North America Mediterranean Europe, North Africa
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Teratembiid Web Spinner

A small web spinner found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It has distinctively bent hind femora used for navigating silk tunnels.

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Did You Know?

The bent knees of this web spinner act as anchors allowing it to brace inside its silk tunnels when threatened.

Mediterranean Webspinner

A small, brown webspinner native to the Mediterranean region. It constructs silk tunnels on rocks and walls, and reproduces parthenogenetically in many populations.

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Did You Know?

Many populations consist entirely of females that reproduce without mating, a rare trait among insects.