How Much Do Subterranean Termites Eat?

WouterDecember 14, 2022December 14, 2022

Termites are small insects that live in colonies. These colonies are made up of a queen and several workers. These workers are responsible for feeding the queen and other colony members. These workers also do manual labor.

Termites are very sociable creatures. They can live in a large colony for years. There are over 2,000 species of termites. The most common are subterranean termites. These termites are able to thrive in climate conditions that are hot and moist. This helps them eat wood at a faster rate than other species.

Subterranean termites have a preference for wood with cellulose. This is because the microbes in their gut can break down cellulose into a form that is digestible. This helps them to feed on the softer parts of the wood. In addition, they have saw-toothed jaws that can eat wood. This allows them to destroy the structure of the wood.

There are three main castes within the subterranean termite population. These include the worker, the soldier and the reproductives. The worker is about half an inch long. The soldier is much larger and has a stronger mandible. The reproductives are about an inch and a half long. The reproductives are responsible for creating new colonies.

Subterranean termites can have colonies that range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of members. The size of the colony will determine how much wood they will consume in a year. A smaller colony will only eat a few pounds of wood. However, a larger colony can eat thousands of pounds of wood in a year.