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Termiten sind gefürchtete Konsumenten von Holz und Papier. Nun haben sich zwei tropische [eingeschleppte] Arten in Florida vereinigt, deren gemeinsame Völker besonders rasch wachsen. [..]

Beide Arten sind zwar verwandt, sollten aber eigentlich keinen Nachwuchs miteinander zeugen können – was in ihrer ursprünglichen Heimat zumindest lange durch geografische Barrieren verhindert wurde. [..]

Abstract
While hybridization of an invasive species with a native species is a common occurrence, hybridization between two invasive species is rare. Formosan subterranean termites (Coptotermes formosanus) and Asian subterranean termites (C. gestroi) are both ecologically successful and are the two most economically important termite pests in the world. Both species have spread throughout many areas of the world due to human activity; however, their distributions overlap in only three narrow areas because of distinct ecological requirements. In south Florida, where C. formosanus and C. gestroi are both invasive, the dispersal flight seasons of both species overlapped for the first time on record in 2013 and 2014. Pairings of heterospecific individuals were readily observed in the field and C. gestroi males preferentially engaged in mating behavior with C. formosanus females rather than females from their own species. In the laboratory, heterospecific and conspecific pairings had an equal colony establishment rate, but heterospecific incipient colonies had twice the growth rate of conspecific incipient colonies, suggesting a potential case of hybrid vigor.....

While hybridization of an invasive species with a native species is a common occurrence, hybridization between two invasive species is rare.