Why – when termites eat at wood (mainly studs in a house) – do they leave the outside in almost pristine condition? Why not eat it all?
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Because being inside wood is a really great, safe place for them. It’s hard for predators to come in and attack/eat them, you’re not exposed to the environment AND they tend to make their own environments quite a bit, similar to ants. Inside a termite colony everything from their body heat to their waste changes the temperature and humidity to a very comfortable termitey world.
They prefer to be inside the wood for protection – they’re nearly blind and usually flightless so not the most formidable warriors against much larger predators. They do have some mean jaws for other insect interlopers though.
For construction lumber the outside may also be chemically treated, making it tougher and unpalatable for the little bastards.
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