A global threat knocking on the doors of major cities: ULB professors warn against invasive termites – News – CIVIS – Europe’s Civic University Alliance [Mergeți direct la conținut](#main) ![](https://civis.eu/build/assets/circle-03-DvaxLIQk.svg) ![](https://civis.eu/build/assets/circle-11-Bta7Grvo.svg) ![](https://civis.eu/build/assets/circle-05-Dj7Wr3Es.svg) [ ![CIVIS – Europe’s Civic University Alliance](https://civis.eu/build/assets/civis-CCpvK1nT.svg)](https://civis.eu/ro) - [ Descoperiți ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance) - [ Ce este CIVIS? ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/what-is-civis) - [ Activitatea noastră ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/our-work) - [ Misiune, Viziune & Valori ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/our-institutional-journey) - [ Guvernanță și Management ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/governance-andamp-management) - [ Cine este cine? ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/who-is-who) - [ CIVIS Association ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/civis-association) [Laboratoare deschise & Implicare civică ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/our-work/open-labs-civic-engagement) - [ Învățare ](https://civis.eu/ro/learn) - [ Programe Intensive Mixte (BIPs) ](https://civis.eu/ro/learn/blended-intensive-programmes) - [ Învățare flexibilă ](https://civis.eu/ro/learn/build-your-learning-path-with-our-modular-offer) - [ Programe de Masterat ](https://civis.eu/ro/learn/find-your-master-s-programme) - [ Staff weeks & Job Shadowing ](https://civis.eu/ro/learn/keep-on-learning-with-staff-weeks-andamp-job-shadowing) - [ Studiu în străinătate ](https://civis.eu/ro/learn/study-abroad-and-connect-with-civis-universities) [Discover the projects led by our students in 2025-2026 ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/our-work/student-led-projects/discover-the-projects-led-by-our-students-in-2025-2026) [CIVIS Museum University Forum ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/our-work/CIVIS-Museum-University-Forum) - [ Predare ](https://civis.eu/ro/teach) - [ Oportunități de predare ](https://civis.eu/ro/teach/civis-calls) - [ Inovați-vă predarea ](https://civis.eu/ro/teach/innovate-your-teaching) - [ Resurse pentru cadrele universitare ](https://civis.eu/ro/teach/resources-for-educators) [BIP-urile CIVIS: impact puternic și nivel ridicat de satisfacție, relevă un nou raport ](https://civis.eu/ro/the-civis-newsroom/civis-bips-strong-impact-and-high-satisfaction-new-report-finds) [Când vocea artei este mai puternică decât titlurile presei: participanții unui CIVIS Open Lab redefinesc „acasă” ](https://civis.eu/ro/the-civis-newsroom/when-art-speaks-louder-than-headlines-civis-open-lab-reclaims-the-meaning-of-home) - [ Cercetare ](https://civis.eu/ro/research) - [ Colaborări pentru cercetare ](https://civis.eu/ro/research/research-collaboration) - [ Cariere, Relații, Mobilități ](https://civis.eu/ro/research/research-careers-networks-and-projects) - [ Resurse pentru cercetători(-oare) ](https://civis.eu/ro/research/resources-for-researchers) [Sunt cadru universitar/ cercetător(-oare) ](https://civis.eu/ro/i-am-an-academic-researcher) [Provocări comune, soluții comune pentru Africa și Europa ](https://civis.eu/ro/the-civis-newsroom/facing-common-challenges-shaping-joint-solutions-for-africa-and-europe) - [ Conectați-vă ](https://civis.eu/ro/connect) - [ Buletine informative ](https://civis.eu/ro/connect/newsletters) - [ Zilele CIVIS ](https://civis.eu/ro/connect/civis-days) - [ Societate civilă ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/our-work/open-labs-civic-engagement) - [ Contactați-ne ](https://civis.eu/ro/contact) - [ Zona de presă și branding ](https://civis.eu/ro/connect/press-corner-branding-toolkit) [Cine este cine? ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/who-is-who) [Fake It Till You News It: Challenges and Solutions in Modern Media Student Innovation Forum ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/our-work/student-led-projects/discover-the-projects-led-by-our-students-in-2025-2026/civis-creathon-contest) [ Relatări ](https://civis.eu/ro/the-civis-newsroom) ro - [ en ](https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) - [ de ](https://civis.eu/de/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) - [ fr ](https://civis.eu/fr/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) - [ el ](https://civis.eu/el/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) - [ it ](https://civis.eu/it/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) - [ es ](https://civis.eu/es/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) - [ sv ](https://civis.eu/sv/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) Menu - [Descoperiți](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance) [ Toggle submenu ](#primary-nav-sm-collapse-29) - [ Ce este CIVIS? ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/what-is-civis) - [ Activitatea noastră ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/our-work) - [ Misiune, Viziune & Valori ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/our-institutional-journey) - [ Guvernanță și Management ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/governance-andamp-management) - [ Cine este cine? ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/who-is-who) - [ CIVIS Association ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/civis-association) - [Învățare](https://civis.eu/ro/learn) [ Toggle submenu ](#primary-nav-sm-collapse-30) - [ Programe Intensive Mixte (BIPs) ](https://civis.eu/ro/learn/blended-intensive-programmes) - [ Învățare flexibilă ](https://civis.eu/ro/learn/build-your-learning-path-with-our-modular-offer) - [ Programe de Masterat ](https://civis.eu/ro/learn/find-your-master-s-programme) - [ Staff weeks & Job Shadowing ](https://civis.eu/ro/learn/keep-on-learning-with-staff-weeks-andamp-job-shadowing) - [ Studiu în străinătate ](https://civis.eu/ro/learn/study-abroad-and-connect-with-civis-universities) - [Predare](https://civis.eu/ro/teach) [ Toggle submenu ](#primary-nav-sm-collapse-31) - [ Oportunități de predare ](https://civis.eu/ro/teach/civis-calls) - [ Inovați-vă predarea ](https://civis.eu/ro/teach/innovate-your-teaching) - [ Resurse pentru cadrele universitare ](https://civis.eu/ro/teach/resources-for-educators) - [Cercetare](https://civis.eu/ro/research) [ Toggle submenu ](#primary-nav-sm-collapse-32) - [ Colaborări pentru cercetare ](https://civis.eu/ro/research/research-collaboration) - [ Cariere, Relații, Mobilități ](https://civis.eu/ro/research/research-careers-networks-and-projects) - [ Resurse pentru cercetători(-oare) ](https://civis.eu/ro/research/resources-for-researchers) - [Conectați-vă](https://civis.eu/ro/connect) [ Toggle submenu ](#primary-nav-sm-collapse-33) - [ Buletine informative ](https://civis.eu/ro/connect/newsletters) - [ Zilele CIVIS ](https://civis.eu/ro/connect/civis-days) - [ Societate civilă ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/our-work/open-labs-civic-engagement) - [ Contactați-ne ](https://civis.eu/ro/contact) - [ Zona de presă și branding ](https://civis.eu/ro/connect/press-corner-branding-toolkit) [ Relatări ](https://civis.eu/ro/the-civis-newsroom) ro - [ en ](https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) - [ de ](https://civis.eu/de/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) - [ fr ](https://civis.eu/fr/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) - [ el ](https://civis.eu/el/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) - [ it ](https://civis.eu/it/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) - [ es ](https://civis.eu/es/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) - [ sv ](https://civis.eu/sv/the-civis-newsroom/global-threat-major-cities-ulb-professors-warn-against-invasive-termites) 1. [Redacția CIVIS ](https://civis.eu/ro/the-civis-newsroom) 2. A global threat knocking on the doors of major cities: ULB professors warn against invasive termites A global threat knocking on the doors of major cities: ULB professors warn against invasive termites ====================================================================================================== CIVIS Highlights 20 mai 2024 With global warming and the increasing interconnections between cities and ecosystems near and far, invasive termites could colonise cities around the world. This is the warning two professors from the Université libre de Bruxelles' Evolutionary Biology and Ecology Laboratory (Faculty of Science) are triggering with their new study. The threat would entail considerable costs, with damage caused by invasive termites already estimated at more than 40 billion dollars a year. ![](/storage/files/ulb-termites.png)©ULBTermites, often caricatured as voracious wood pests, actually play a key role as ecological engineers within tropical forests. Only a fraction of them cause significant damage to homes. However, the recent study [published in Neobiota journal](https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/115411/) by Edouard Duquesne and Denis Fournier show that invasive termites could colonise cities all over the world, from hot tropical zones such as Miami, São Paulo, Lagos, Jakarta and Darwin to temperate metropolises such as Paris, Brussels, London, New York and Tokyo. Furthermore, the global trade in goods, including wooden furniture transported by private ships, offers unsuspected routes for these silent invaders to travel to our homes: > *An isolated termite colony lurking in a small piece of wood could travel clandestinely from the West Indies to your flat in Cannes. It could, for example, hide in furniture aboard a yacht moored in the port of Cannes during the Film Festival,"* explain the researchers. We need to prevent and detect further invasions before irreversible damage occurs --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The researchers call for rapid action on the part of political decision-makers and the general public. Large cities, whatever their climate, must implement strict termite control measures to protect homes and infrastructure: > *At a time when we are already facing the challenges of a rapidly changing climate, awareness and proactive measures are our best defence against the creeping threat of invasive termites. Citizens can play a crucial role by using technology, such as AI-assisted applications like iNaturalist, to detect and report the presence of termites, turning ordinary residents into vigilant guardians of their environment*," stress the researchers. Therefore, the study concludes, the matter can no longer be postponed, as the damages are irreversible. Related news ------------ - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/post-it-risks-800x600.jpg?token=3f32ba7f3ab0220e88eeac41defdd8bf)Innovative micro-credential for professionals on AI for the workplace launched by CIVIS Learn 10 februarie 2026 ](https://civis.eu/ro/the-civis-newsroom/civis-micro-credentials-ai-and-work-supporting-teams-through-change) - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/lisa-ardoin-carre-800x600.jpg?token=f714a0ebb1268db56d15373f824f5d1d)Living and working in the White Desert - vlogs from Antarctica by a ULB student CIVIS Highlights 16 septembrie 2025 ](https://civis.eu/ro/the-civis-newsroom/antarctica-vlogs-living-and-working-in-the-white-desert) - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/eurosud-iee-consilium-copy-800x600.jpeg?token=d7e48b887b15ee3e7750a627f84b5b8e)EUROSUD: A passport to civic-minded expertise on Southern Europe Study programmes 8 iulie 2025 ](https://civis.eu/ro/the-civis-newsroom/eurosud-a-passport-to-civic-minded-expertise-on-southern-europe) [Descoperiți toate articolele noastre](https://civis.eu/ro/the-civis-newsroom) [ Stockholm University signs declaration on open research information ](< https://civis.eu/ro/the-civis-newsroom/stockholm-university-signs-declaration-on-open-research-information >) [ Taste of CIVIS: Discover the flavours of our European University Alliance! ](< https://civis.eu/ro/the-civis-newsroom/taste-of-civis-discover-the-flavours-of-our-european-university-alliance >) ![CIVIS – Europe’s Civic University Alliance](https://civis.eu/build/assets/civis-CCpvK1nT.svg) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Europe’s Civic University Alliance ![Co-funded by the European Union](https://civis.eu/build/assets/co-funded-by-the-european-union-DSKLW1us.png)Views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither can be held responsible for them. ### Persoane - [ Studenți ](https://civis.eu/ro/i-am-a-student) - [ Cadre universitare și cercetători ](https://civis.eu/ro/i-am-an-academic-researcher) - [ Personal administrativ ](https://civis.eu/ro/i-am-an-administrator) - [ Societate civilă ](https://civis.eu/ro/discover-civis-alliance/our-work/open-labs-civic-engagement) - [ Secțiune pentru presă și branding ](https://civis.eu/ro/connect/press-corner-branding-toolkit) ### Link-uri utile - [ Resurse ](https://civis.eu/ro/resources) - [ CIVIS Agora ](https://civis.eu/ro/civis-agora-the-operational-hub-of-the-civis-digital-campus) - [ European Universities initiative ](https://civis.eu/ro/european-universities-initiative) - [ Evenimente anterioare ](https://civis.eu/ro/past-events) - [ Contact ](https://civis.eu/ro/contact) [Buletine informative](https://civis.eu/ro/connect/newsletters) ### Social networks - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/instagram.svg) Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/civis.eu/) - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/linkedin.svg) LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/civis-eu) - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/facebook.svg) Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/CIVISEuropeanUniversity/) - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/youtube.svg) YouTube ](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdCm0FfreX81BuNH-znlRGQ) © 2026 – CIVIS – All rights reserved - [ Cookie Policy ](https://civis.eu/ro/cookie-policy) - [ Privacy policy ](https://civis.eu/ro/privacy-policy) Website by [Typi Design](https://typi.be) • Design by [Atelier Milky](https://ateliermilky.com) [ ](#top) Search