A video from Abita Springs, Louisiana, shows a deputy's nighttime patrol this week interrupted by what appeared to be a storm of invasive flying insects crossing the road.
The clip is now drawing widespread attention online.
What happened?
St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office Deputy Justin Blackwell came across a large termite swarm in the New Orleans metro area and recorded it, according to Fox Weather.
In the footage, the air appears thick with insects lit up by patrol lights, making the roadway look foggy, chaotic, and almost unreal.
His joking estimate was "six billion termites," though Formosan subterranean termite colonies actually number about one million to four million insects, according to the source story.
New Orleans officials identify the Formosan subterranean termite as the city's most common termite. The city says the species is not native to the United States and was "introduced to the U.S. after World War II from Eastern Asia via infested wooden cargo crates."
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Why does it matter?
In Louisiana, Formosan subterranean termites are both invasive and the state's most destructive structural pest.
USDA data puts the yearly toll from termite infestations at roughly $1 billion in combined damage, repairs, and control costs.
The Louisiana State University Ag Center said these termites typically "swarm and spread colonies around Mother's Day every year," and that the swarm season can start in April, continue through June, and peak in early to mid-May.
Previously, a nearly two-decade effort known as Operation Full Stop focused on eliminating the Formosan termites, and while they were successful in significantly reducing their numbers, they couldn't fully eradicate the invasive pests from the state.
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The swarm may look unbelievable, but for Louisiana residents, it is also a seasonal and economic threat.
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