phloeophagy
- Pronunciation
- /flee-OH-uh-fuh-jee/
- Category
- Behavior
- Singular
- phloeophagy
- Plural
- phloeophagies
Definition
The feeding behavior of consuming bark, particularly common among certain insects that bore into trees.
Etymology
Derived from Greek 'phloios', meaning 'bark', and '-phagy', meaning 'feeding on'.
Example
Many species of bark beetles exhibit phloeophagy as they bore into tree bark to lay their eggs.
Synonyms
- Bark feeding
Related Terms
Usage Notes
Phloeophagy is particularly significant in forest ecology and can impact tree health and forest dynamics.