Termite Species May be in for Rude Awakening

Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture have identified nematodes that invade the brains of Formosan subterranean termites - offering a possible bio-based approach to controlling the termites. These termites feed on cellulose from the heartwood of trees and wood support beams of buildings - causing nearly one-billion dollars in damages, repairs and control costs across the U.S. each year. Agricultural Research Service Plant Pathologist Lynn Carta has been studying these nematodes for more than a decade.