Beneficial termites? How scientists grew to love a household pest

Termites are a lot of things, but most people wouldn’t call them “cute.” Gregg Henderson isn’t most people.

He’s an entomologist, and has studied the social behavior of termites at Louisiana State University for nearly 30 years. Professor Henderson’s affection extends to the termites in his house – ones he keeps in buckets, that is. But at the university, his job is to conduct research that will help make better baits, insecticides, and other pest control methods.

That dissonance matches most of humanity’s relationship to termites. They’re seen almost solely as small vermin that can literally eat people out of house