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Catherine Lane

2 North Carolina Counties Home To Invasive Species

Author Catherine Lane
(Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

2 North Carolina counties are home to an invasive species. This invasive insect isn’t just making its home in North Carolina but up and down the east coast.

The Spotted Lantern fly

Authorities on the subject advise to keep an eye out for the spotted lantern fly. The insects made their American debut back in 2014 according to wsoctv.com.  Pennsylvania was the first state to document the species. The bugs are native to China and Vietnam.

Here we are ten years after the bugs were documented and it’s a problem. They have invaded multiple cities across the northeast. 2 North Carolina counties are now home to the invasive species. The Spotted Lantern fly has been documented in Forsyth and Guilford counties. If you see a spotted lantern fly officials ask that you take a picture and report it.

2 North Carolina Counties home to invasive species

(Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

What Kind Of Damage Can It Do

So what kind of damage can the spotted lantern fly do? Plenty. According to cornell.edu the pesky invasive bug has led to crop loss exporting issues and increased management loss. Spotted lantern fly also feed together. And while they don’t sting their large numbers can be messy, they apparently love grapes  but don’t like to invade apple or peach trees. And that is good news for our North Carolina and South Carolina fruit farmers.

2 North Carolina Counties Home To Invasive Species

Here are some telltale signs of this invasive insect. According to cornell. edu, feeding may cause things like oozing, wilting, defoliation or plant death. They reportedly don’t attach themselves directly to the fruit “sooty mold growth” on the skins can make crops unmarketable. The “sooty mold” is for sure not a good thing. It can inhibit the photosynthetic capacity of leaves.

This isn’t the only pesky flying critter in North Carolina. Anyone having trouble with stink bugs? They are everywhere. But it gets worse.  Spring 2024 will be the largest spike in cicada in 2 decades.

Multiple Carolina Cities Make the List for Top Termite Cities in the U.S.

If it’s one thing we can all agree on, no one wants to live near a lot of bugs. At least I would hope the majority of us are not fans of living within the vicinity of too many bugs. Who would really want to be near that many bugs, for fun? Anyways, did you know of Termite Awareness Week? Well, me neither! But, Termite Awareness Week runs March 5-March 11 each year. The week serves as a reminder of how much damage termites can do to a person’s living space. Termites can damage your home, your office building, or your favorite business. They never sleep which makes them even worse because the damage never stops!

Orkin knows how much termites can be a hassle to many people and their lives. So, they curated a list of the top 50 most termite-infested cities across the country. Now, I know you’re like me probably hoping you’re not in that area. Well, unfortunately, a few Carolina cities made the top 20. One North Carolina city, in particular, made the top 5. YIKES! No worries, I give you the Carolina cities we all know and love and their placement on the list. If you’re interested in the full list of cities, click here to read the full article by Orkin.

  • 44. Greenville, NC

    Well, how about Greenville, North Carolina came in at No. 44 on the list. Remember, I am only sharing which Carolina cities made the list and their placement. Greenville was on the list last year, but this year they moved up one spot in the ranking. Guess this part year rang in a bit more damage than the year prior.

  • 34. Columbia, SC

    Here we are ranking in at No. 34 is a South Carolina favorite, Columbia. Columbia seems to have had a good year as they went down 6 spots compared to their ranking the year prior. Now, being on the list may still suck for termites but at least they’re getting a little better it seems.

  • 27. Myrtle Beach, SC

    We’re still in South Carolina with a beach town favorite coming in at No. 27. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina not only is one of the country’s top termite cities, but things seem to have gotten worse. They made the prior year’s list but this year, they moved up 7 spots. Whew, be careful Myrtle Beach!

  • 26. Charleston, SC

    South Carolina is just booming with termite cities it seems like. Another South Carolina favorite, Charleston is coming in at No. 26. The city also had a big year in which it moved up 15 spots compared to the year prior’s rankings. Now, I am from Charleston and fortunately have never dealt with termites in any of my previous residents but I have heard stories from many in the area before.

  • 20. Greenville, SC

    Well, guess what? We’re still talking South Carolina! Coming in at No. 20 is Greenville. This city has seen a big spike in growth over the last few years, so that means tons of new buildings and houses being built in the area. Plenty new spots for termites to latch onto.

  • 18. Charlotte, NC

    Now, we’re home! Charlotte made the list for the top 20 as some of the top termite cities. Luckily, the city did drop down two slots from their rankings in the previous year but we are still pretty high up, unfortunately.

     

  • 5. Raleigh, NC

    Well, the highest ranking Carolina city is right here in the Tar Heel state. Raleigh, North Carolina ranked in the No. 5 spot for top termite cities across the country. The city went up on slot compared to the year before, so looks like the growing city is also growing in termite infestations as well.

 

Catherine Lane is the morning show co-host and midday host on Country 1037 in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has been with the station for the past 24 years and is a recipient of the Academy of Country Music Major Market Personality of the Year award. Catherine has been on air in both radio and television in the Queen City for 38 years. As a content creator for Country 1037, Catherine writes blogs on local events and restaurants. She also writes about great travel spots and out of the way places in the Carolinas. Anything outdoors, travel, food, animals or the many country artists from the Carolinas.

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