What do Western Drywood termites use to expel their fecal pellets?

Western Drywood termites expel their fecal pellets through structures known as "kick-outs." These kick-outs are small openings in the wood where the termites push out their partially digested food in the form of fecal pellets. This behavior is significant because it helps to keep their living environment clean and reduces the accumulation of waste materials within their galleries. The pellets are often ejected forcefully from the nests, landing around the exit points and creating small piles or mounds outside the wood they inhabit.

Other options such as carpenter ants, nesting tunnels, and fecal mounds do not relate directly to the method by which Western Drywood termites expel their waste. Carpenter ants are a different species of wood-destroying pest and do not share the expulsion mechanism. Nesting tunnels refer to the pathways within which termites and other pests live and reproduce but do not specifically facilitate the expulsion of feces. Fecal mounds, while they may reference the accumulation of pellets outside the nesting areas, do not accurately depict the action of ejecting the waste, which is accomplished through kick-outs. Thus, the term "kick-outs" is specifically applicable to the expulsion process of Drywood termites.