KIDS TRIVIA

Detailed explanation-1: -Why do termites eat wood? Termites eat wood to derive the cellulose and nutrients they need to live. 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.

Detailed explanation-2: -The most common wood borers are beetles. They are called wood-boring beetles as they damage wood in and around a home or even a building. The adult beetles tend to lay their eggs in cracks and holes inside the wood where the larvae or wood worms eat out the wood through several years.

Detailed explanation-3: -The termites masticate the wood to mechanically break it down, and the microbes chemically digest the wood into smaller molecules that the termites are able to absorb and utilize. The termite gut provides microbes with a stable environment and food.

Detailed explanation-4: -Termite droppings-After consuming wood, dry wood termites often leave behind brown-coloured and grainy faecal mounds. These faecal pellets are usually found beneath the infested wood. Floor damage-Termites can damage laminate flooring and even skirting boards.