I don't know whether you've been following this story but apparently the rumor has it that Formosan termites were believed to be found in landscaping mulch piles ready for retail distribution. These termites were found in the wood of trees mulched after Hurricane Katrina hit the state of Lousiana last year.

It appears that this is just a hoax for the following reasons. Firstly, the affected areas have been quarantined by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry so nothing is leaving the area, especially trees for mulching. Second, the mulching process would destroy a termite colony and finally it's too cold in Northern California to accomodate the Formosan termite - a tropical insect.

Read the full story here.