How do drywood termites typically feed?

Drywood termites exhibit a distinctive feeding behavior characterized by consuming wood across the grain. This method allows them to efficiently extract cellulose, which is a crucial component of wood. By feeding across the grain, drywood termites are able to access the softer wood fibers more easily, facilitating their digestion process. This feeding pattern is also responsible for the typical damage they cause, which can manifest as galleries or tunnels within the wood that can compromise structural integrity.

The other feeding methods, such as along the grain or only on the surface, do not accurately describe the behavior of drywood termites, nor does the notion of hollowing out entire pieces. Drywood termites typically inhabit the wood they consume, creating extensive networks of galleries rather than completely hollowing out sections, which characterizes their unique tunneling behavior. Understanding this feeding pattern is critical for pest management strategies and accurately diagnosing termite infestations in buildings.