According to recent reports, there's a new pest on the loose: the Super Termite. This hybrid is bound to cause all kinds of damage if it's not stopped.
Scientists in Florida have tracked the development of a new hybrid species of termite — one whose colonies grow twice as fast as the parent species. Researchers say the new "super-termite" is even more destructive than other species and may carry a significant economic cost (NPR).
It's the phrase "even more destructive than other species" that really sends our eyebrows up. After all, regular termites are already destructive enough. According to some estimates, over two million American homes are damaged or destroyed by termites every year, as opposed to only 350,000 destroyed by fire.
It's easy to get people worked up about the dangers of fire, of course. Children in school are taught to "Stop! Drop! and Roll!", and parents are encouraged to make Family Emergency...