Do Termites Eat Wood
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Do termites eat wood. Yes termites eat wood and in fact termites love the cellulose in wood. Wood that termites will not eat by keith allen updated july 17 2017 redwood is naturally resistant to termites and decay and often is used in outdoor projects. Generally termites live in trees lumber soil and wooden structures. Termites are crazy for cellulose which is the most abundant organic compound present in nature and is found in wood as well.
Termites have protozoa and bacteria in their gut that allow them to break down the cellulose fibers in wood which is difficult for other creatures to digest. Termites eat wood to derive the cellulose and nutrients they need to live. Not only the structural damage it also can create bad odor in your house. This is why it s common to find termites eating clothes cardboard and paper.
A few woods are naturally resistant to termites including cedar and redwood. By mary sharp though termites do feed on cellulose within wood the termites themselves do not actually digest the wood. Further fecal pellets are produced by them in a large scale. Not only do termites eat wood but many species of the insect live in it too.
This makes finding food sources easier for the pests. What wood will termites not eat. Instead there are microorganisms living inside the termite s digestive system called protozoa. Habitual impacts of termites are really bad.
Cellulose is also found in many products and things we use every day like clothes cardboard boxes etc. Therefore homes are vulnerable to damage caused by termite feeding.