Wood Eating Bugs - Insects That Eat Wood

Animals that feed on wood are called "xylophages." However, not all animals that feed on wood do so exclusively, as they tend to also feed on other plants. Insects that feed specifically on wood have a specific type of microbiota in their digestive system that helps them digest cellulose, like that with herbivorous mammals.

For more, read about herbivorous animals here.

The digestion of plant products by animals is very complex, since breaking down cellulose requires a symbiotic relationship with intestinal bacteria and external fungi. Insects that feed on wood have a special microbiota, prepared to extract carbon from wood.

Digestion of wood produces high amounts of acetate that should technically cause damage to these animals. According to some studies, however, this acetate is never found in feces. Instead, it is transformed into carbon dioxide and released into hemolymph, to later be expelled through breathing.

For more interesting insect facts, you may also be interested in reading,‘‘Do insects fell pain?’’

So, which insects eat wood? Below we show you the main wood eating insects and their characteristics. Keep reading to discover the which insects might be part of your wood borer infestation here!

Horntails, also known as wood wasps, are a group of insects that belong to the Siricidae family. There are about 150 different species of wood wasps, that all share one common characteristic: their larvae feed on wood.

Females wood wasps place their eggs in small cracks or holes in the wood of the trees. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the wood while also creating tunnels to move. For their digestion to take place, they need the presence of a fungus with which they establish a symbiosis relationship

Termites are insects that belong to the order Blattodea. Although their appearance and way of life are similar to that of ants, these insects are more closely related to cockroaches. There are more than 3,000 different species of termites in the world.

Termites are feared by humans, as they tend to colonize the wooden human building structures, completely destroying them in the case that a proper pest eradication has not been carried out. Some termite species live in wet wood, others in dry wood and some live in the ground, building colossal termite mounds whereby they leave the ground in search of their favorite food, wood.

There are several families of beetles or woodworms that feed on wood. Woodworms are beetles that belong to the Anobiidae family. This wood destroying beetle can be detected when small shallow holes appear in furniture, sculptures, etc. These holes are made by adult woodworms and the females lay their eggs in cracks. These, when hatching, devour the interior of the wood, performing various metamorphoses whereby they end up emerging as a new individual.

Carpenter moths are a family of nocturnal butterflies called Cossidae. Adults of this species do not feed on anything, rahter, they have an atrophied tube and their only function is to reproduce. Its large larvae feed on old, moist wood. They remain hidden under the bark of the trees throughout their youth period, which can sometimes last more than three years.

Are you dealing with a wood borer infestation? If so, try out some of these effective tips for home remedies for wood boring insects:

• Identify whether or not the infestation is active. If not, you can either replace your wood or seal the current wood.
• You can also sand or varnish your wood to keep wood boring beetles from targeting cracks and holes in the wood.
• Mix 1 part water with 1 part Bora-Care (a low toxicity wood preservative). Apply it onto the wood using a paint brush or sprayer. This mixture will depend on the quantity, refer to bottle instruction for more.

For more about insects and termites in the home and home remedies for wood boring insects, we recommend reading our following articles:

• The largest insects in the world.
• Types of ants.

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