What Do Termites Eat Other Than Wood?

Termites are feared by homeowners for their appetites of any wooden structure. But termites eat far more than just wood. They also eat anything made of paper, a variety of plants, products made from plants and synthetic materials. They can eat grass, landscape mulch and, depending on the species, special fungi grown deep inside termite colonies. When food is scarce, they will even eat each other.

Grasses and Plants

Some species of termite, such as the cathedral termite or the magnetic termite, prefer grasses and green plants to wooden structures. These species live in savannas that do not have earthworms such as Africa and Northern Australia. In these areas, termites act like earthworms, quickly decomposing plant matter and creating fertilizer. The Australian Museum points out that these termites are essential to the ecology of Northern Australia.

Anything with Cellulose

Termites' main food is cellulose, a soft, sugary fiber found in many plant materials, including wood. Depending on the particular species, termites digest this tough material with special bacteria or protozoa living in their guts. In a 2001 study on how long termites could live on different types of mulch, Timothy G. Myles, Ph.D., noted that termites could eat mulch made from decorative stone, rubber, cocoa shells and coffee bean chaff. Termites can also eat cardboard, paper, books, drywall, insulation and swimming pool liners and filters.

Fungi

Termite species such as African and Asian mound-building termites have difficulty directly digesting cellulose. They bring cellulose-based chunks of materials back to the colony, clean them and place them in gardens inside the colony. These gardens grow cellulolytic fungi that the termites eat and are able to digest.

Cannibalism

Termites will eat each other when there is nothing else to eat, according to Timothy G. Myles, Ph.D. In his studies, Myles observed subterranean termites eating the entire bodies of others in the colony or just parts of bodies. The partly eaten termites were left alive. Starving termites will eat larvae or adults. Termites will also eat the carcasses of any dead termites in their colony, which helps the survivors gain valuable nitrogen, according to the book "Chemical Ecology of Insects 2."

References

• Australian Museum: Termites
• "Ecos"; Just Add Termites; April-June 2002
• City of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Termite Survival on Various Types of Mulch; Timothy G. Myles, Ph.D.; June 2008
• University of Hawaii: Fungi and Insect Symbiosis
• "Chemical Ecology of Insects 2"; Ring T. Carde and William J. Bell; 1995
• University of Kentucky; Termite Control - Answers for Homeowners; Mike Potter; March 2004