Two of the most destructive termite species in the world–Asian and Formosan–have come together to mate in Florida entomologists reported Wednesday. They are producing hybrid colonies that are growing at twice the normal rate of termite species.

Asian and Formosan termites are the subjects of a new paper by University of Florida researchers published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE.  The study’s authors said that before 2013, the two species had never swarmed at the same time. However, their dispersal flight seasons are now overlapping.

Nan-Yao Su, the lead author of the study, attributes the overlapping and the development of the hybrid colonies to climate change. Now that the two species have gotten to know each other, researchers have discovered that the male Asian termites actually prefer the female Formosan termites, according to Discovery News. 

Su said that Asian and Formosan combined are responsible for the estimated $40 million in termite damage worldwide, according to Reuters. The new hybrid species could contribute to that damage significantly. Su said that this “is not good news” and that homeowners will recognize the damage in shorter periods of time.

Another researcher for the study, Thomas Chouvenc, agreed. He said that the establishment of the hybrid populations are expected to increase damages to structures “dramatically” in the near future. Chouvenc also called the hybrid “worrisome” since the colonies can develop “twice as fast as the two parental species.”

The researchers have yet to determine whether the species’ offspring will be sterile or fertile. This can usually be determined when they reach five years of age and the new kings and queens begin to reproduce, according to Su.

Although this is true, Su still stressed that the situation is dangerous. He said that a termite colony can survive nearly 20 years and host millions of termites. As a result, the hybrid colony has the potential to cause serious damage and remains a threat to homeowners “even if the hybrid colony does not produce fertile winged termites.”

Florida may not be the only state to experience these vigorous hybrid colonies. Chouvenc said that Asian and Formosan termites spread easily to different parts of the world. If the hybrid colonies produce an abundance of fertile-winged offspring, they could spread too.

Su said this is just the “tip of the iceberg.”