Breakthrough in Termite Research Confirmed by Team from National Chung Hsing University First Discovery of Hybrid Population of Two Major Invasive Termite Species WorldwideApr. 25, 2024
Two major invasive termite species, the Formosan subterranean termite and the Asian subterranean termite, which are responsible for significant economic losses globally, have for the first time been found to interbreed in the wild, potentially giving rise to more destructive "super termites." This issue, which researchers worldwide have long been concerned about, has recently seen a significant breakthrough. Professor Hou-Feng Li and his research team from the Department of Entomology at National Chung Hsing University, in collaboration with Tzu Chi University and the University of Florida in the United States, have confirmed through field investigations and molecular techniques that hybridized termite populations exist in the natural environment of Taiwan.