What are the reasons termites eat wood?

Every homeowner sees termites as dreadful pests that shouldn’t be allowed to come near their homes. These insects might look harmless from appearance, but it has been estimated that the damages caused by termites in homes in America are worth about $5 billion. Isn’t this enough reason for every homeowner to be so concerned about making sure these silent destroyers don’t come anywhere near their investments? Of course, it is!

But why are termites so interested in eating wood? Are they restricted to only feeding on wood in order to get their nutritional needs? Whatever the reasons might be, read on to find out exactly why.

The nutrition of termites

Termites don’t just eat food to fill their guts with wood fiber. The primary purpose of termites eating wood is to extract the cellulose stored in the cellular wall of woods and other plants. Being the most abundant source of this compound, wood seems to be the best available option to extract their food for nutrition. Termites are highly voracious; hence they never stop eating. The moment they find a suitable place with an abundance of wood, they immediately distribute themselves evenly and then begin to extract cellulose to build their ever-growing colony.

This doesn’t stop until they have successfully eaten all the available wood. If you have a termite infestation in your home, nothing is safe. These insects can devour wallpaper, magazines, books, and other things made from lumber.

How do termites eat?

Digestion in termites is a very complicated process. All they can do is break down the wood into tiny pieces, but they are unable to extract the cellulose from it. To do this, termites rely on the bacteria and protozoa in their guts. These microorganisms help break down the wood, extract the cellulose, and convert it into simple sugar for the nourishment of the termites.

What kind of wood do termites prefer?

The choice of the kind of wood to eat depends on the species of the termites. Let’s take a look at the three major species of termites that are often seen in urban areas and get to know the kind of wood they prefer.

Subterranean termites – This particular species of termites are the most abundant species of termites in the United States. They build a newly developed colony and will always stick to areas with moist conditions. In places like this, they always go after moist wood that is in close contact with the soil.

Drywood termites – In the case of drywood termites, they are always after wood with high moisture content. This can either be a live tree or a fresh part of a detached tree. They usually build their nest around their food source in order to have access to their food source.

Dampwood termites – For dampwood termites, their preference is decaying logs, stumps, and woodpiles. As a result of their preference, dampwood termites hardly infest wood in homes. But if you have decaying wood around your environment, they will come for it.