You may think that you have big appetite, but termite have you beat by many miles. That means they work 24 hours a day and every single day of the year. Termites can eat such a massive amount of wood and do so much damage to wooden structures.
Termites can eat and eat and never gain a pound. Termites digest wood using bacteria is their gut. The bacteria in their digestive system beaks down the cellulose and that can release hydrogen from the substances they are eating. There are several species of termites around the world, including Formosan Termites some of the worst we can find here in the U.S. They have been observed eating up to 1,000 lbs. of wood over the course of a year. They are known for creating enormous colonies of thousands upon thousands of termites. They can probably devour up to a football field worth of wood.
They can also attack and destroy non-wood materials. They have been known to chew through plaster, plastics, asphalt, and even thin sheets of soft metals like lead and copper. It’s hard to believe but it’s true. Given enough time, they can cause extensive damage and will feed on the wood until nothing is left but a shell. Termites all share a virtually insatiable appetite for wood and other cellulose containing, materials. If you don’t notice any of the signs, that doesn’t necessarily mean termites, or the conditions that invite them, aren’t there. A trained inspector can spot evidence of even the beginning of an infestation. This allows you, the homeowner, the chance to correct the problem before it becomes too costly.