Can the dreaded Formosan termite be spread to our yard through mulch from Louisiana?

Question Can the dreaded Formosan termite be spread to our yard through mulch from Louisiana?

Answer The answer is yes and no. Formosan termites are called "Formosan" because they were found on the main island of Taiwan (Formosa) in the 1990s. These termites are thought to be from southern China, but have been found in other places for hundreds of years. Japan has been dealing with them since the 1600s, Hawaii since the 1800s, and South Africa since the 1950s. During the 1960s, the Formosan termite made the leap to the United States. Since it wasn't named until the 1990s, I guess it entered our country without a visa.

Eleven states have reported colonies of Formosan termites (Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas). It is possible their distribution will continue to be restricted to southern areas because their eggs are not supposed to hatch below 68° F. Keep in mind that we also thought fire ants and killer bees would be limited to the deep south.

Formosan termites pose a serious threat because their colony population and foraging range are so much larger than our native termites. A colony of Formosan termites may contain several million termites, versus several hundred thousand per colony of native termite species. Like the imported fire ants, eradication is not an option. Our primary focus is prevention.

There is a lot of cellulose debris (wood, paper, etc...) in Louisiana following the last two hurricanes. However, efforts are in place to prevent the spread of the Formosan termite. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) imposed a quarantine for the Formosan termite on October 3, 2005, in the parishes affected by the hurricanes.

Dr. Mike Waldvogel, NCSU entomologist, says that North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture have been monitoring this situation for the past couple years. Dr. Mike also said that these pests are more likely to book a trip to NC in a railroad tie or a pallet than a bag of mulch. The process of grinding the trees into mulch is not conducive to their colonial lifestyle.

Dr. Mike thinks the real problem is the 30' high piles of shredded trees that remain on-site for weeks or months. In those cases, there is a possibility that a local Formosan colony could move up into the mulch pile. If that happened, the main problem would be bulk shipments (tractor-trailer loads of mulch). However, the quarantine enacted by the LDAF has stopped legal shipment of this material.

Formosan termites have a history of traveling. More than likely, they will find a way to eventually make North Carolina their home. However, bagged mulch from Louisiana will not be their ticket. The benefits of using mulch far outweigh the potential for getting Formosan termites.

If you want more info about mulch, then call me at 910-893-7533, write me at PO Box 1089, Lillington, NC 27546 or email me at gary_pierce@ncsu.edu Formosan subterranean termite info can be found on the web at http://www.agctr.lsu.edu/termites/ Native termite info can be found at http://insects.ncsu.edu/Urban/wood.htm