Termites are primarily detrivores and feed on dead plant material like leaves, branches, roots, and bark. They will also feast on cellulose-containing materials such as paper products, books, wallpaper, and even fabric. Depending upon the species, they may require supplemental moisture or nutrients in their diet, which they get from decaying wood, fungi or algae. It is important to keep an eye out for any signs of termite infestation, such as holes in walls or floors and an abundance of sawdust around your structure. If you suspect that you have a termite infestation in your home or business property, it is important to seek professional advice from a pest management service provider.
What Do Subterranean Termites Eat?
Subterranean termites are a species of termite that lives below the ground and builds nests. They feed on the cellulose material found in wood, often leading to severe structural damage to buildings. To survive, these termites must consume large amounts of wood or other cellulose-based items such as paper and cardboard.
The main diet for subterranean termites is wood. They consume both dried and moist wood, but prefer the formers due to their easy digestibility. In fact, most subterranean termite specie typically does not need to drink water as long as they have access to cellulose-filled food sources. Additionally, some species of subterranean termites feed on roots from plants, trees and shrubs or can breach buildings or structures by consuming through mortar and cement until they reach their desired food sources.
When it comes to ideal conditions; subterranean termites thrive in humid environments with plenty of moisture since they get much of their hydration through humidity in the air rather than drinking water out of puddles or other wetlands like other insects would do.
What Do Drywood Termites Eat?
Drywood termites are one of the most destructive and common termite species in the United States. Like other subterranean and drywood species, they feed on cellulose, which is found in wood. These termites will tunnel through wood, creating distinctive galleries or mazes within the timber they infest. Besides wood and paper products, they can also feed on such materials as carpeting and clothing made of natural materials.
Drywood termites do not require contact with soil moisture for sustenance, unlike their subterranean counterparts, which explains why many difficult-to-detect infestations occur within walls or furniture where moisture is minimal. Drywood termite colonies will readily develop atop roof rafters or beams if given sufficient moisture and food sources.
Mainly feeding upon dead plant material such as trees, roots and shrubs, drywood termites do not need external water sources otherwise provided by their subterranean counterparts associated with moisture in soil. Colonies are usually established far away from water courses or standing water bodies that may provide food resources for other types of insect populations like ants.
The diet of naturally occurring drywood termites includes dead plants including trees, shrubs, and stumps; other cellulose-containing resources such as bamboo fronds; carpenter ant bait; rodent feces; cardboard items like books and wallpaper seams; noncellulose debris like paper plasterboard; plastic garbage bags; paper towels used in laboratory experiments containing insects or their eggs; bedding material produced by some rodents to line nests containing living young; and nonliving sawdust. In addition to consuming decomposing cellulose material like tree stumps in nature forests, these insects may also consume insect body parts including wings (obtained by boring into insects’ bodies) as nourishment for sustaining them between meals rich in carbohydrates from vegetable matter.
What Do Dampwood Termites Eat?
Dampwood termites typically feed on dead and decaying wood, largely preferring moist or wet wood. They are usually found in areas of high humidity, including basements, bathrooms, crawlspaces and attics. They can also be found outside in decaying trees, stumps, fences, and around buildings where moisture levels are high.
Dampwood termites gain sustenance from cellulose matter found in the wood which is broken down by enzymes. They are not always completely limited to consuming wood as dampwood termites have been known to feed on carpet, paper products, books and other items containing cellulose.
These species of termites have slow growth rates compared to the other common pest species that live in buildings. This is because they only require small amounts of food per day – generally this diet consists of moist or damp wood from a dead piece of timber or tree fallen over time under moist conditions. In more extreme cases, abundant sources of moisture may cause them to expand into adjacent buildings and affect structural integrity when combined with other insect species such as moths or beetles that create cavities within the material itself providing access points for entry into new areas.