Vine Hawk Moth vs Tropical Rough-headed Drywood Termite

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Vine Hawk Moth Tropical Rough-headed Drywood Termite
Scientific Name Hippotion velox Cryptotermes dudleyi
Order Lepidoptera Blattodea
Family Sphingidae Kalotermitidae
Size 55-70 mm Workers 4-5 mm, soldiers 4-5 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Nectar Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia Pantropical (Africa, Asia, Pacific Islands)
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Vine Hawk Moth

A sleek olive-brown hawk moth with a distinctive pale dorsal stripe. It is widespread across Africa and Asia, and is one of the most commonly encountered sphingids in Australia.

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Did You Know?

Hippotion velox is one of the most common hawk moths encountered in Australian suburban gardens, where it is attracted to outdoor lights.

Tropical Rough-headed Drywood Termite

A pantropical drywood termite that infests dead wood and structural timber. Soldiers have a distinctive rough, phragmotic head used to block nest tunnels.

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Did You Know?

Soldiers use their plug-shaped heads to physically block tunnel entrances, preventing ant invasions.