Tropical House Cricket vs Speculitermes Inquiline

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tropical House Cricket Speculitermes Inquiline
Scientific Name Gryllodes sigillatus Speculitermes cyclops
Order Orthoptera Blattodea
Family Gryllidae Termitidae
Size 13-18mm 2-4 mm
Habitat Gardens Woodlands
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Asia, Africa, North America, Europe India, Sri Lanka
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tropical House Cricket

A small light brown cricket with dark bands on its head. It is widely bred as feeder insects for reptiles. Originally from South Asia, it has spread worldwide in association with humans.

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Did You Know?

It is the second most commercially bred insect in the world after the house cricket, raised as food for pet reptiles.

Speculitermes Inquiline

A small soil-feeding termite from India that is notable for being an inquiline, living within the mounds of larger termite species. Workers are pale and blind, feeding on organic soil within the host mound. Colonies are small and inconspicuous.

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Did You Know?

This termite is a mound parasite, secretly living inside the walls of other termites' nests and feeding on soil without the host colony apparently noticing.