According to researchers, Florida’s two most destructive invasive termite species are interbreeding. Offspring produced by these species are hybrid species, termed as ‘super termite’ and could be seven times more destructive than its parents.

There is an indication that climate change will affect in strange and horrible ways, so entomologists from University of Florida have recorded how unusual weather patterns appear to be causing the swarming seasons of the two species. The two species are the Asian and Formosan termites. The study published in the journal PLoS ONE. Already, Asian and Formosan termites cost about $40 billion in damage every year globally.

According to researchers, the study shows how this fact is facilitating the development of brand-new hybrid colonies that are able to develop twice as fast as their parent species. It is not sure whether the super termite itself can reproduce and this might bring even more problems.

“Because a termite colony can live up to 20 years with millions of individuals, the damaging potential of a hybrid colony remains a serious threat to homeowners even if the hybrid colony does not produce fertile winged termites”, said author Nan-Yao Su.

The researchers have predicted that Florida is going to experience radically increased damage to structures in the near future. The researchers said the two termite species have always been able to mate. Particularly, the authors indicate to the strangely warm winters of 2013 and 2014 in order to give details about the wide overlap in their swarming seasons.

As per the researchers, if this kind of thing continues as predicted with climate change, then there is a possibility that the interbreeding might become a common occurrence.