It's just another one of those Internet rumors that won't go away. And if you used leaf mulch in your garden, like you should, you wouldn't have to worry about these kinds of things. In any event, professional horticulturists, the US Dept of Agriculture, the Louisiana Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry -- and many others -- say there's no worry that ferocious Formosan termites are being shipped around the country in mulch and wood chips from all those downed trees on the Gulf coast. Quarantines have been issued for the 12 parishes affected by Hurricane Katrina, and debris is being burned or buried in landfills. And aside from that, most entomologists doubt the creatures could survive the mulch-making process. So forget about it. It's just another urban legend.
(photo: USDA)
Comments