Filtering by tag: invasive species ✕

A large black and yellow spider on a hand

Joro Spiders in North Carolina: Everything You Need to Know

Here in North Carolina, our native orb weaving spiders are a familiar sight during the early Fall, with species such as spotted orb weavers and writing spiders consistently marking the changing…

A grey insect with black spots perched on a twig.

New Neighbors: Spotted Lanternfly in Rockingham County

Rockingham County just got an unwelcome new resident -- spotted lanternfly (SLF). This isn't just any insect; it's an invasive pest from southeast Asia that's been steadily spreading across the…

A green branch with white fluffy spots along main vein

New Research Shows Canopy Gaps Promote Hemlock Health as New Management Tool

The hemlock woolly adelgid is an enemy of hemlock forests and has been for years. Native to Asia and first detected in the U.S. in the 1950s, it was first found in North Carolina in 1995 and quickly…

A green caterpillar-like insect feeds on a green leaf.

Elm Zigzag Sawfly Found in NC for the First Time

A new invasive insect has been spotted in North Carolina. In August 2022, the elm zigzag sawfly (Argidae: Aproceros leucopoda) was found in North Carolina for the first time. In North America, it has…

Spotted lanternfly resting on a serrated green leaf

Spotted lanternfly confirmed in North Carolina

Over the past few years, we have been saying it’s a matter of “when”-- not “if”-- the spotted lanternfly would invade North Carolina. Well, we no longer have to wonder. Recently, an established…

Adult spotted lanternfly (wings are gray with black spots) rest on a stem.

Spotted Lanternfly Found Less Than 20 Miles From NC

Note: On June 23, 2022 (6 months after this article was published), the spotted lanternfly was detected in North Carolina for the first time.Several weeks ago, an established population of the…

Hairy caterpillar with red and blue spots crawling on a green leaf

Lymantria Dispar No Longer Called the 'Gypsy Moth'

When we think of insects, rarely do we think, "Wow, look at that beautiful Danaus plexippus!" In both conversation and thought, most people refer to insects (and really, many plants and animals) by…

an airplane flies low over a forest, releasing pheromone

Treatments for the Invasive L. dispar Begin in Western NC

This month, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is beginning treatments for Lymantria dispar (formerly known as 'gypsy moth') at sites within Surry, Buncombe, Yancey, and…

Adult Asian longhorned beetle (black with white spots, very long antennae), rests on a hand.

Forestry Experts Want You to Watch Out for ‘Poolside Pests’

Original article written by Laura Oleniacz for NC State News, published May 25, 2021.If you’re planning to try to relax poolside this summer, forestry researchers from NC State want you to nap with…

This figure depicts the emerald ash borer larva feeding on the inner back of ash trees.

*NEW* Fact Sheet: Emerald Ash Borer

Check out NC State Extension Forestry's new fact sheet by Kelly Oten on the invasive forest pest, the emerald ash borer. The emerald ash borer is a devastating invasive beetle that has already killed…