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Cockroaches & Termites

Order Blattodea

189 species

One of the most ancient insect orders, dating back over 300 million years. Includes both cockroaches and termites, which were recently reclassified into this order.

Species in this Order

Rhinotermitidae

Lacteus Termite

Coptotermes lacteus

An Australian mound-building termite that constructs distinctive dark, hard-walled mounds up to 2 me...

4-6 mm
Termitidae

Lamani Spiral-nest Termite

Apicotermes lamani

A subterranean soil-feeding termite known for its remarkably structured underground nests in Central...

3-5 mm
Ectobiidae Not Evaluated

Lesser Cockroach

Ectobius panzeri

A small dark cockroach found in heathlands and open habitats across Europe. It is active during warm...

6-9 mm
Rhinotermitidae

Light-colored Subterranean Termite

Heterotermes aureus

A desert-adapted subterranean termite common in the Sonoran Desert of the southwestern United States...

4-6 mm
Blaberidae Not Evaluated

Little Kenyan Cockroach

Gyna lurida

A small, active cockroach from East Africa known for its climbing ability. Adults have translucent w...

20-30 mm
Blaberidae

Lobster Cockroach

Nauphoeta cinerea

A small to medium cockroach with mottled grey-brown coloring that is widely used in scientific resea...

25-30 mm
Rhinotermitidae

Long-jawed Desert Termite

Psammotermes hybostoma

A sand-dwelling termite found across the Sahara and arid North Africa, uniquely adapted to life in l...

5-8 mm
Termitidae Not Evaluated

Long-jawed Soil-feeder Termite

Cubitermes ugandensis

A soil-feeding termite from East Africa that builds small pedestal-shaped mounds. It processes large...

Workers 3-5 mm, soldiers 5-7 mm
Termitidae

Long-nosed Termite

Nasutitermes longinasus

A nasute termite from Central and South American rainforests that builds carton nests on trees. Sold...

4-6 mm
Termitidae

Longipes Termite

Longipeditermes longipes

A Southeast Asian soil-feeding termite notable for its exceptionally long legs relative to body size...

4-6 mm
Blaberidae Vulnerable

Lord Howe Island Cockroach

Panesthia lata

A large wingless wood cockroach endemic to Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. It is closely related...

30-40 mm
Blaberidae Not Evaluated

Lucihormetica Bioluminescent Cockroach

Lucihormetica luckae

A rare cockroach known for bioluminescent spots on its pronotum. It was described from a single spec...

20-25 mm
Termitidae

Macrotermes Queen

Macrotermes bellicosus

Queens can live for over 25 years (possibly up to 50) and grow to enormous size — a single queen lay...

100-140 mm (queen)
Blaberidae Not Evaluated

Madagascan Marble Cockroach

Nauphoeta madagascariensis

A medium-sized cockroach with a marbled brown pattern on its wings. It is endemic to the island of M...

25-30 mm
Blaberidae

Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

Gromphadorhina portentosa

One of the largest cockroach species. Produces a distinctive hissing sound by forcing air through br...

50-76 mm
Rhinotermitidae

Madagascar Termite

Coptotermes truncatus

A subterranean termite with soft, pale workers and dark-headed soldiers that have elongated, rounded...

4-8 mm (workers); 5-9 mm (soldiers)
Blaberidae

Madeira Cockroach

Leucophaea maderae

A large pale brown cockroach that emits a foul-smelling liquid when disturbed. It cannot climb smoot...

40-50mm
Termitidae

Magnetic Termite

Amitermes meridionalis

Builds tall wedge-shaped mounds precisely oriented on a north-south axis to regulate internal temper...

4-6 mm
Termitidae

Malaccensis Fungus Termite

Macrotermes malaccensis

A large mound-building fungus termite found in the rainforests of peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. Co...

5-14 mm
Kalotermitidae

Malagasy Drywood Termite

Cryptotermes kirbyi

A small drywood termite that forms compact colonies inside dead branches and timber. Soldiers have d...

4-6 mm
Termitidae

Malagasy Mound-building Termite

Microcerotermes subtilis

A small termite species that constructs conspicuous carton mounds on tree trunks or the ground. Work...

3-5 mm
Rhinotermitidae Not Evaluated

Malaysian Subterranean Termite

Coptotermes curvignathus

An aggressive subterranean termite that attacks living trees and wooden structures in Southeast Asia...

Workers 4-5 mm, soldiers 5-7 mm
Termitidae

Malaysian Tree Termite

Hospitalitermes hospitalis

A remarkable open-air foraging nasutitermine termite from Southeast Asian rainforests. Workers forag...

3-5 mm
Termitidae

Microceratotermes Carton Termite

Microcerotermes crassus

A wood-feeding termite found across Southeast Asia and Australia that builds small arboreal carton n...

3-5 mm
Termitidae

Microtermes Subterranean Termite

Microtermes obesi

A small fungus-growing termite widespread across South Asia and the Middle East. Unlike larger Macro...

2-4 mm
Rhinotermitidae Not Evaluated

Milk Termite

Schedorhinotermes lamanianus

A large subterranean termite from tropical Australia with two distinct soldier sizes. Major soldiers...

Workers 4-5 mm, major soldiers 7-8 mm
Blattidae

Mitchell's Diurnal Cockroach

Polyzosteria mitchelli

A large, flightless cockroach with a shiny dark blue-black body found in arid Australia. Unlike most...

30-40 mm
Termitidae

Mound-building Termite

Macrotermes gilvus

A fungus-growing termite widespread across Southeast Asia that builds subterranean to semi-subterran...

5-12 mm
Archotermopsidae

Nevada Dampwood Termite

Zootermopsis nevadensis

A large dampwood termite found in mountainous regions of western North America. Colonies inhabit moi...

10-18 mm
Termitidae

Nigerian Snouted Termite

Trinervitermes oeconomus

A grass-harvesting nasute termite found across West African savannas, building small dome-shaped mou...

4-5 mm
Blaberidae Not Evaluated

Orange-spotted Cockroach

Eublaberus distanti

A large cockroach with distinctive orange spots on a dark body. It inhabits caves and forest floors ...

45-55 mm
Blattidae

Oriental Cockroach

Blatta orientalis

A dark brown to black cockroach with a shiny body, often called a waterbug. It prefers cool, damp en...

20-27 mm
Rhinotermitidae

Orientalis Subterranean Termite

Reticulitermes speratus

The most economically important termite in Japan, causing significant damage to traditional wooden b...

4-6 mm
Kalotermitidae Not Evaluated

Pacific Dampwood Kalotermitid

Neotermes connexus

A large kalotermitid termite native to Hawaii that infests damp wood. It is the most common native t...

Workers 6-9 mm, soldiers 8-12 mm
Archotermopsidae

Pacific Dampwood Termite

Zootermopsis laticeps

A large termite with soldiers that have broad flattened heads and strong mandibles. It inhabits damp...

12-18mm
Ectobiidae

Pale-bordered Field Cockroach

Pseudomops septentrionalis

A small outdoor cockroach with a distinctive pale border around its dark pronotum. It is an active d...

10-15mm
Ectobiidae

Pennsylvania Wood Cockroach

Parcoblatta pensylvanica

A native North American cockroach that lives outdoors in forests and woodlands. Males are strong fli...

15-25 mm
Blaberidae

Peppered Cockroach

Archimandrita tesselata

One of the largest cockroach species reaching up to 10cm. It has a peppered brown and cream pattern ...

70-100mm
Rhinotermitidae

Philippine Milk Termite

Coptotermes vastator

The most destructive termite species in the Philippines, causing severe damage to buildings, trees, ...

4-6 mm
Blaberidae Data Deficient

Pill Cockroach

Perisphaerus pygmaeus

A tiny cockroach that rolls into a perfect ball like a pillbug when threatened....

8-12 mm
Kalotermitidae

Powder Post Termite

Cryptotermes primus

An Australian drywood termite that infests dry structural timber in buildings across tropical and su...

4-6 mm
Kalotermitidae Not Evaluated

Powderpost Drywood Termite

Cryptotermes domesticus

A destructive drywood termite that reduces wood to a fine powder. It is a major pest of wooden struc...

Workers 3-5 mm, soldiers 4-5 mm
Termitidae

Processional Termite

Hospitalitermes medioflavus

An open-trail foraging termite found in Borneo's rainforests that travels in long exposed columns th...

3-5 mm
Termitidae

Protermes Inquiline Termite

Protermes prorepens

A small inquiline termite that lives within the mounds of larger fungus-growing termite species in A...

2-4 mm
Termitidae

Queensland Cathedral Termite

Nasutitermes magnus

A large Australian nasute termite that constructs impressive cathedral-like mounds in tropical Queen...

5-7 mm
Corydiidae

Question Mark Cockroach

Therea olegrandjeani

A close relative of the domino cockroach with white markings that form a question-mark-like pattern ...

25-30mm
Termitidae

Red Earth Termite

Odontotermes formosanus

A widespread fungus-growing termite in East and Southeast Asia that is a major structural and agricu...

4-8 mm
Blaberidae

Rhinoceros Cockroach

Macropanesthia rothi

A large burrowing cockroach related to the giant burrowing cockroach but with a more northern distri...

50-60mm
Hodotermitidae

Saharan Harvester Termite

Anacanthotermes ochraceus

A desert-adapted harvester termite found across the Saharan and Arabian desert margins. Workers fora...

7-12 mm
Corydiidae

Sand Cockroach

Arenivaga investigata

A desert cockroach that extracts water vapor from moist sand through special mouthparts....

15-25 mm
Termitidae

Sankurensis Soil Termite

Cubitermes sankurensis

A soil-feeding termite found in the Congo Basin rainforests, building small mounds on the forest flo...

4-5 mm
Termitidae

Savanna Cubitermes

Cubitermes severus

A soil-feeding termite building characteristic mushroom-shaped mounds in West African savannas. Work...

4-6 mm
Ectobiidae Not Evaluated

Small Yellow Cockroach

Cariblatta lutea

A tiny pale yellowish cockroach found in the southeastern United States. It lives in leaf litter and...

5-8 mm
Blattidae

Smokybrown Cockroach

Periplaneta fuliginosa

A uniformly dark mahogany-brown cockroach that is an excellent flier and strongly attracted to light...

25-38 mm
Termitidae

Snapping Termite

Termes hospes

An African soil-feeding termite common in forest and savanna soils. Soldiers possess powerful snappi...

4-6 mm
Termitidae Not Evaluated

Snouted Harvester Termite

Trinervitermes geminatus

A nasute termite common in West African savannas that harvests dry grass in large foraging columns. ...

Workers 3-4 mm, soldiers 4-5 mm
Termitidae Not Evaluated

Soil-feeding Cubitermes Termite

Cubitermes fungifaber

A soil-feeding termite that builds distinctive mushroom-shaped mounds. It processes large volumes of...

Workers 3-5 mm, soldiers 5-7 mm
Termitidae

Soldier-heavy Termite

Pericapritermes nitobei

A soil-feeding termite found across Southeast Asia and the Pacific, notable for its snapping-mandibl...

3-5 mm
Hodotermitidae

Somali Harvester Termite

Hodotermes sjoestedti

A harvester termite found in the dry grasslands and semi-deserts of the Horn of Africa. Like other h...

8-12 mm
Termitidae

South American Tree Termite

Nasutitermes similis

A common Neotropical nasute termite building carton nests on trees throughout South American forests...

4-6 mm
Kalotermitidae Not Evaluated

Southeastern Drywood Termite

Incisitermes snyderi

A drywood termite found in the southeastern United States that infests structural timber. Colonies a...

7–11 mm
Blattidae Not Evaluated

Speckled Cockroach

Periplaneta picea

A dark cockroach with a finely speckled pattern on its wings. It is found in tropical forests of Sou...

25-35 mm
Termitidae

Speculitermes Inquiline

Speculitermes cyclops

A small soil-feeding termite from India that is notable for being an inquiline, living within the mo...

2-4 mm
Termitidae

Sphaerotermes Mushroom-comb Termite

Sphaerotermes sphaerothorax

An African fungus-growing termite with a unique fungus cultivation strategy. Unlike other fungicultu...

3-5 mm
Termitidae

Spinifex Termite

Nasutitermes longipennis

A mound-building termite common across the dry interior of Australia. Its hard earthen mounds dot th...

Workers 4-5 mm; soldiers 5-6 mm
Blattidae Not Evaluated

Striped Cockroach

Blatta lateralis

A medium-sized cockroach with distinct lateral stripes along its body. Males have wings while female...

20-28 mm
Rhinotermitidae

Subterranean Termite

Reticulitermes flavipes

The most economically destructive termite species in North America, living in underground colonies t...

4-8 mm
Blattidae Not Evaluated

Surat Cockroach

Periplaneta indica

A medium-sized cockroach native to the Indian subcontinent. It has a dark brown body and is commonly...

22-30 mm
Blaberidae

Surinam Cockroach

Pycnoscelus surinamensis

A burrowing cockroach that reproduces entirely through parthenogenesis, with virtually all individua...

18-25 mm
Ectobiidae

Tawny Cockroach

Ectobius pallidus

A small outdoor cockroach native to Europe that lives in leaf litter and low vegetation. It is harml...

7-10 mm
Termitidae Not Evaluated

Tree-Nesting Nasute Termite

Nasutitermes corniger

A common arboreal termite in the Americas that builds large dark carton nests in trees. Covered fora...

3-5 mm
Termitidae Not Evaluated

Trinervitermes Nasute Termite

Trinervitermes trinervoides

A grass-harvesting nasute termite of southern Africa that builds small dome-shaped mounds in grassla...

3-6 mm
Kalotermitidae Not Evaluated

Tropical Rough-headed Drywood Termite

Cryptotermes dudleyi

A pantropical drywood termite that infests dead wood and structural timber. Soldiers have a distinct...

Workers 4-5 mm, soldiers 4-5 mm
Rhinotermitidae

Tropical Rough-headed Termite

Heterotermes tenuis

A Neotropical subterranean termite and significant sugarcane pest in Brazil. Colonies are diffuse wi...

4-5 mm
Termitidae

Tube-building Desert Termite

Gnathamitermes perplexus

A desert termite found in the southwestern United States that builds distinctive mud tubes and soil ...

3-5 mm
Termitidae

Tumulitermes Mound Termite

Tumulitermes pastinator

An Australian grass-harvesting termite that builds small columnar mounds in tropical savannas. Worke...

3-5 mm
Blattidae

Turkestan Cockroach

Shelfordella lateralis

A medium-sized cockroach originally from Central Asia that is rapidly displacing the oriental cockro...

20-30 mm
Termitidae

Turneri Carton Termite

Microcerotermes turneri

An Australian arboreal termite that builds small, round carton nests on the trunks of eucalyptus tre...

3-5 mm
Ectobiidae Not Evaluated

Uhler's Wood Cockroach

Parcoblatta uhleriana

A medium-sized native wood cockroach found in the eastern United States. Males are strong fliers whi...

14-20 mm
Ectobiidae Not Evaluated

Virginia Wood Cockroach

Parcoblatta virginica

A woodland cockroach native to the eastern United States. It is closely related to the Pennsylvania ...

12-20 mm
Termitidae

Voeltzkow's Nasute Termite

Nasutitermes voeltzkowi

An African nasute termite common in East African savanna and woodland. Colonies build conspicuous da...

4-6 mm
Blattidae Not Evaluated

Wahlberg's Cockroach

Deropeltis wahlbergi

A medium-sized black cockroach with orange wing margins found in southern Africa. It is named after ...

25-35 mm
Termitidae Not Evaluated

Walker's Nasute Termite

Nasutitermes walkeri

An arboreal termite that builds round carton nests on tree trunks in eastern Australia. Its nests ar...

Workers 4-5 mm, soldiers 5-6 mm
Termitidae Not Evaluated

West African Fungus-Growing Termite

Macrotermes subhyalinus

A widespread African termite that builds large above-ground mounds and farms Termitomyces fungi. The...

3-18 mm
Kalotermitidae Not Evaluated

Western Drywood Termite

Incisitermes minor

A common drywood termite of the western United States that infests structural timbers and furniture....

4-11 mm
Rhinotermitidae Not Evaluated

Western Subterranean Termite

Reticulitermes hesperus

The most common structural pest termite in western North America. Colonies build extensive undergrou...

4–8 mm
Blaberidae Not Evaluated

Wide-horned Hissing Cockroach

Gromphadorhina oblongonota

A large Madagascan hissing cockroach with prominent wide pronotal bumps. It is often confused with G...

50-70 mm
Ectobiidae

Wood Cockroach

Ectobius lapponicus

A small outdoor cockroach that lives in European leaf litter and never enters buildings....

6-10 mm
Ectobiidae

Woodlouse Cockroach

Prosoplecta semperi

A tiny rounded cockroach that strongly resembles a ladybird beetle with its domed shape and red-oran...

5-8mm