More than 50 years after they were first detected in Texas, Formosan termites have been found in Brazos County.
Local entomologists say the discovery is cause for a heightened sense of alertness but not a reason to panic.
This species has the potential to cause much more damage than termites native to the area.
"They are more destructive," said Grady Glenn, a Texas AgriLife extension program specialist and entomologist. "They can eat more of your house in a shorter period of time. Also, their favorite food is hardwood, like oak and pecan trees."
The species was first found near the Houston Ship Channel in 1956.
Several entomologists have linked the spread of the species to railroad ties from the Gulf Coast.
"They'll get the used railroad ties from the coast and then sell them to landscaping companies or lumber yards," Glenn said. "They jumped from the coastal regions, and then we found them in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and it was because these urban areas were developing and using railroad ties."
Ted Granovsky, a board-certified urban and industrial entomologist, discovered the species in a neighborhood just west of the Scott & White Clinic at University Drive and Texas 6.
"They're very healthy, the specimens I collected," he said. "These rascals were plump. They don't fly very well, but these guys were well-developed and not undernourished."
Granovsky, who has run an entomology consulting business in Bryan-College Station for 25 years, said it's too early to tell how many colonies of the termites are in the area.
"If we are fortunate enough to have caught them early on," he said, "we do know that there are effective means to take care of them."
Granovsky advises those who have railroad ties in their years to take a closer look for termites. He will look at samples from residents to see if they are Formosan termites.
"You want to make sure they don't escape from the vial or baggie you put them in, though," he said.
Glenn said several pest-control businesses in the area have people trained to eradicate Formosan termite infestations. Both entomologists stressed that the discovery is not cause for alarm.
"This isn't the end of the world," Granovsky said. "It's a significant find for our community, but it's not the end of the world."
He said what's important in a situation like this is for community members to pay close attention and notify the proper people if they find an infestation.
Signs of a termite infestation
* The presence of mud tubes, swarmer termites or damaged wood.
* Mud tubes rise from the soil along the side of a foundation -- when broken open, these tubes are found to contain termites.
* Damaged wood can be hidden under a coat of paint and might be hard to identify. When tapped with a hard object, the wood will sound dull or hollow. Damage caused by Formosan termites is similar to other termite damage.
* Swarming termites on windowsills or near indoor lights.
* Formosan termites often build nests from chewed wood, soil, saliva and fecal material. Nests can be several cubic feet and are found both in the soil and above ground.
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