Why do termites eat wood?

Answer: Gut bacteria digest cellulose

Wood tastes sweet to them — Wrong. Termites don't eat wood for flavor. They eat it because they can digest cellulose with help from gut microbes—it's their only food source.

Gut bacteria digest cellulose ✓ — Correct! Termites can't digest cellulose alone—they host billions of gut bacteria and protists that break down wood into digestible sugars. This symbiotic relationship lets termites extract nutrients from wood fiber. They're living bioreactors!

Sharpening their strong jaws — Wrong. Termites don't eat wood to sharpen jaws. Their mandibles are already powerful. They eat wood because gut microbes help them extract nutrition from cellulose.