Since finding spotted lanternfly at a site in Kernersville in 2022, the Plant Industry Division has asked residents to be on the look out for this invasive and destructive pest. Residents who think they may have seen spotted lanternfly in their area are asked to take a photo of the bug, squash it and report … Read more
It’s official: the invasive Spotted lanternfly has made its way to North Carolina. Ever since the destructive pest was found near Kernersville in late July, the NCDA&CS Plant Industry team, North Carolina Forest Service and USDA-APHIS-PPQ have been hard at work surveying and treating for this pest. Spotted lanternfly poses a serious threat to … Read more
Click here to listen to Commissioner Troxler speak to Southern Farm Network’s Mike Davis about the detection We have made our first discovery of an established presence of the spotted lanternfly in North Carolina. Initial surveys indicate the known distribution of the pest is within a 5-mile radius in Forsyth County near Interstate … Read more
People are out working in their yards more and likely will see bees buzzing about pollinating plants. It is also the time of year when people start to see common North Carolina bees, wasps and hornets. Eastern cicada killer wasps, European Hornets and Carpenter bees are a few common ones. While these are large insects, … Read more
The sun is shining and the bees are buzzing – but not the Asian Giant Hornets. As the weather gets warmer and insects like bees and wasps become more active, NCDA&CS has seen an uptick in calls from people who believe they have seen an Asian Giant Hornet, colloquially known as the “murder hornet,” near … Read more
Man’s best friend will soon have a brand-new job in North Carolina — hunting down invasive bugs. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service’s Plant Industry division will soon welcome a pair of working dogs named Kita and Neeko to the state to help detect Spotted Lanternfly. The destructive pest, which causes severe … Read more
Guest authors: Courtney Smith and Kelly Oten, NCSU Extension As the weather gets warmer in North Carolina, it’s clear that summer is upon us. Many people enjoy what summer brings — the warm weather, vacations and relaxing by the pool! But did you know that you could also help save North Carolina’s trees while enjoying … Read more
Guest authors: Courtney Smith and Kelly Oten, NCSU Extension You won’t like the spotted lanternfly if you like to sit under the shade of trees, enjoy fruits such as apples, sip wine or work in the garden. The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect from Asia that attacks numerous plants. It was first detected in … Read more
While North Carolina has its fair share of invasive species already within the state, experts at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services are also on the lookout for pests just outside of our borders. The Spotted Lanternfly is a particularly worrisome pest with heavy breeding populations in several nearby states, and NCDA&CS … Read more
While 2020 proved to be one of the most challenging years we have faced, it was also a year of opportunities and accomplishments for the N.C. Forest Service. COVID-19 brought much of the world and much of our lives to what seemed to be a hard stop, but it did not stop the men and … Read more
