It has its greatest impact in North America. It is currently one of the most destructive pests in the United States, estimated to cost consumers over $1 billion annually for preventive and remedial treatment and to repair damage caused by this insect. In New Orleans, 30-50% of the city's 4,000 historic live oak trees are believed to be infested, with total damage costing the city $300 million a year. In North America, "C. formosanus" creates significantly bigger colonies, and therefore more damage, than native US termites, which reside underground and enter buildings only to forage. "C. formosanus" is the most destructive, difficult to control, and economically important species of termite in the southern United States.