Rising temperatures put American cities at risk of termite invasion

Warming temperatures and urban development create ideal conditions for termites to spread into new territories.

As temperatures rise due to climate change , destructive termites could invade cities from Miami to New York, according to research published in the journal Neobiota, Newsweek reported on May 1. This can lead to huge losses, because termites currently cost 40 billion USD per year in the world.

Termites cause extensive damage to homes and infrastructure each year. (Photo: iStock).

There are more than 2,000 species of termites on Earth, with great diversity in behavior, size and preferred habitat. Termites mainly feed on cellulose, the main component in wood. They can digest cellulose with the help of symbiotic microorganisms in the intestine. Many termite species are invasive, including the Taiwanese subterranean termite ( Coptotermes formosanus ) from East Asia. They have established invasive populations throughout the United States, especially in the southern states, where they can cause severe structural damage due to their large population size and rapid wood consumption. Termites are responsible for causing significant economic damage to buildings, crops and forestry, causing wooden structures to rapidly weaken.

In the study, a team of experts from Brussels City University, Belgium, modeled 10 invasive termite species that could spread across territories in the future. They found that as temperatures increase in the coming decades, termites will spread farther and tend to live in more urban areas due to urbanization.

Research results reveal that many invasive termite species can find suitable habitats in heavily urbanized areas and associated areas within major economic zones on every continent except Antarctica. This trend is especially evident in the context of climate change and increased socio-economic development, providing more favorable biological and infrastructural conditions for termites.

The dense population and interconnected nature of urban populations provide the perfect environment for termite invasion, posing a risk to some American cities. C. formosanus, with its distribution range in warm temperate to subtropical regions, becomes a particular risk in large cities in the southeastern United States.

In addition, termites can spread around the world through the global shipping network, especially transporting wooden furniture. Termite populations nesting inside wooden furniture can move from the West Indies to France, according to study co-authors Edouard Duquesne and Denis Fournier of Brussels City University. Queen termites are attracted to light, which can trigger reproduction, laying the foundation for new populations to invade dry land. Researchers hope their findings can help cities and planners take precise measures to protect homes and infrastructure against termite invasions.