A recent study by the University of Florida (UF) found that vessels are acting as perfect vehicles for the global propagation of termites, which makes these insects an increasingly widespread threat on the planet.
The research, led by Thomas Chounc, an associate professor of urban entomology at the Research and Education Center of the Institute of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Florida (UF/IFAS) in Fort Lauderdale, has shown that the termites do not propagate only through the natural processes of construction of new colonies, but are also being actively transported by vessels, without the owners, without the owners.
The study points to several destructive species such as the underground terminal of Formosa, the Asian underground termite and the termite of the dry wood of the Western Indies.
The economic impact of these infestations is significant and has been increasing since 2010, with estimates that exceed 40,000 million dollars annually worldwide, where underground formose termites are caused between 20.3 billion and 30,000 million dollars in damages, indicates a press release from the university.
“Termites are a big problem for housing owners, since they can damage the wood of structures and infest trees. However, more and more cities face the risk of termites damage, since some invasive species continue to spread in new areas of the world,” said Chouvent.
“The continuous and successful dispersion of invasive termites is not their own feat: we have facilitated the conquest of the world and private ships are an excellent means of transport,” said the researcher.
The study revealed a dramatic change in the dynamics of propagation of these insects that historically could only cross oceans in exceptional cases such as hurricanes, tsunamis or landslides, but now there is a high probability that they travel in infested vessels due to human activity, in particular the maritime transport of recreation.
Through the combination of field studies, genetic analysis and historical data, the study presents solid arguments that vessels, especially those for recreational use, are one of the main causes of the propagation of termites between continents, indicates the note.
“Instead that a few termites accidentally crossed the oceans once every million years, there is now a high probability that they travel in infested vessels every year, which drastically increases their propagation potential,” Chounc added.
The study also emphasizes that, once established in a new area, these termites colonies can remain hidden for years due to their slow reproduction cycle and their cryptic biology, making eradication efforts difficult until the damage is significant.
Chounc said that the situation in southern Florida, known as the ‘world capital of navigation’, is particularly worrying since over decades, several invasive species of termites have been established in this region, where it is common to discover vessels with established colonies.
The professor assured that once a boat is infested, it can serve as a vehicle to spread these species to other parts of the state, the country or even around the world.
The lack of regular inspections in recreational ships, such as yachts, aggravates the problem, allowing infestations to spread without control, says research.
In addition, the study ensures that one of the main concerns is that infestations in vessels are often not documented or reported, which leads to an underestimation of the problem.
To mitigate this increasing threat, Chounc urges the owners of vessels and the nautical community to take proactive measures, such as regular inspections to detect signs of termites infestation both to protect the properties and to prevent the propagation of these pests.
With EFE information
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