What is the primary food source for the destructive larval stage of the deathwatch beetle?
Answer
Decaying hardwood
The intense wood consumption occurs during the larval stage, and their primary diet consists specifically of decaying hardwood, particularly wood that is already well-rotted or infected with dampness and fungus.

Related Questions
What is the primary food source for the destructive larval stage of the deathwatch beetle?Which hardwood is most frequently cited as the preferred food source for *Xestobium rufovillosum*?What critical condition must wood meet for deathwatch beetle larvae to consume it?How long can the grub-like deathwatch beetle larva spend tunneling through infested wood?What substances primarily compose the frass ejected by active deathwatch beetle infestations?What is generally true regarding the feeding habits of adult deathwatch beetles?What key distinction separates the deathwatch beetle's diet strategy from some other common wood-boring pests?What causes the rhythmic tapping or ticking sound associated with the deathwatch beetle?How is the ejected frass from deathwatch beetle feeding typically described?What is the typical measurement range for the exit hole bored by an emerging adult deathwatch beetle?