The wildlife that inhabits our yards eat a variety of foods ranging from nuts and berries to birdseed, nectar, pollen, plants, insects the list goes on and on. Remarkably, the termites that we try to keep from eating at our homes are also part of the diet of a wide variety of wildlife.

          This source of food is more abundant than you may think.  According to the Mississippi State University Extension Service, a mature colony of subterranean termites can contain anywhere from 50,000 to more than 200,000 individuals.

       Fortunately, a wide range of critters help keep these destructive insects at bay.  Spiders, ants, woodpeckers, blue jays, eastern bluebirds, sparrows and even mourning doves and wild turkeys, eat termites.  When the insects are swarming,  bats, swallows and dragonflies take advantage of these pests.  Frogs and toads also eat them, as well as snakes. In addition, mammals such as skunks, opossums, and armadillos join in on the feast.