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Abstract: The use of pathogens as biological control agents has long been considered a promising technology for termite control. Over the past five decades, there has been a large accumulation of scientific literature on the development of control methods using various pathogens. However, despite the evidence that biological control has essentially failed, or failed to be developed, as a method for commercial termite control, this field of research remains very active. In this study, we examined 50years of research on the microbial control of termites in order to understand why commercial products have failed to be developed and why this field of research remains so active. All (to the extent of our knowledge) of the literature published between 1960 and 2011 was evaluated to investigate any publication bias and to detect false positives in the form of overly optimistic conclusions. This re-interpretation supports the idea that the conclusions frequently expressed have been misleading to some extent, or at least overly optimistic, about the potential for application of biological control to termites. Many results obtained from bioassays with poor biological relevancy have been interpreted as promising, while few results actually support practical application. We also suggest that the failure of termite biological control and the continued research emphasis in this area resulted in part from unrealistic optimism about the potential for development of environmentally friendly methods to control termites, publication bias, and poor understanding of termite biology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]