Features

• Bamboo grows from a rhizome, an underground stem. The above ground part of the bamboo plant is called the culm or cane. Although technically the bamboo plant is a grass, the structure of cane is similar to wood. Enough similarities exist to make the culms vulnerable to pests that attack wood.
  
  

Vulnerabilty

• Wood contains cellulose, which is the primary food source of termites. Although termites can also damage other types of materials, such as insulation or drywall, as they forage for food, they will only feed on substances without cellulose under unusual circumstances.
  
  

Expert Insight

• Bamboo contains cellulose, so termites will attack and eat it. This fact is confirmed by a report from the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan, a leading trade group.