OK....well, we thought we needed at least one word in our A to Z Index that started with 'X,' so here goes...

Xylophagous is an adjective meaning feeding on or boring into wood. Xylophagous animals are those that feed almost exclusively on wood. Examples of xylophagous insects include termites and furniture beetles.

Beavers are herbivores, but there is some debate as to whether or not they are xylophagous. Although beavers can chew through logs, they don’t eat the hardwood from the trees they chew. A beaver’s gut, like that of a porcupine, contains symbiotic microbes that help them digest cellulose from a tree. However, wood is not their primary diet.

And now you know a new word. Thanks for checking out our A to Z Index.