The rain moved out. The heat
moved in.
Then came the bugs.
From swarms of mosquitoes
rising from neighborhood puddles, to ants climbing countertops and caterpillars
chewing through lawns, pest activity has exploded across North Carolina in the
wake of recent storms.
Michael Connors, director of
field operations at Moxie Pest Control, said the calls started pouring in
almost as quickly as the rain itself.
“All that flooding—we’re
seeing a huge uptick,” Connors said. “Rain and moisture always bring pests, but
this kind of extreme weather accelerates everything.”
The company is fielding
complaints about mosquitoes, ants, roaches, mice and even fall armyworms. With
the heat index reaching into the triple digits this week, conditions are ideal
for pest populations to grow quickly.
Connors said he is finding
standing water in unexpected places: inside trash can lids, mulch beds, shaded
gutters and low-lying areas where the ground is too saturated to absorb more.
That stagnant water becomes the perfect breeding ground.
“Everything becomes a
puddle,” Connors said. “And pests know how to survive in it.”
From Bite to Risk
It is not just about itchy
bites and brown lawns. State health officials are tracking an uptick in
disease-carrying mosquitoes—particularly in the Triangle, where West Nile virus
has become a growing concern.
“Last year, we had the
highest number of West Nile cases in state history,” said Michael Doyle, state
public health entomologist with the North Carolina Department of Health and
Human Services. “The early rains this year are showing that those species are
on the rise again.”
Doyle said the risk comes in
waves. First, a large group of mosquitoes hatches within a week after a storm.
Then, as standing water lingers, another generation lays eggs—causing the
population to swell even further over the next several weeks.
In addition to West Nile,
state officials are monitoring La Crosse encephalitis in western North
Carolina, which primarily affects children, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis
near the coast, which can impact people of all ages.
“All mosquito species need
water to reproduce,” Doyle said. “That can be a puddle in the woods, a toy in
the yard or even just a gutter that’s not draining right. We’re especially
concerned about the places people forget to check.”
Heat and Moisture: A
Dangerous Combo
Entomologists say the weather
is working in the insects’ favor.
“Most insects, in order to
grow and develop, need two things: heat and moisture,” said Dr. Terri
Billeisen, a turfgrass entomologist at NC State University. “And we’re seeing
more of both.”
That environmental pairing
speeds up the development cycle for many species—including mosquitoes and fall
armyworms.
“We usually see a spike in
activity one to two days after a significant rainfall event,” Billeisen said.
“That’s when they really explode.”
Armyworms, which are
caterpillars that feed on grass, have already caused extensive damage across
the state. After Tropical Storm Debby last year, NC State received thousands of
reports of lawn destruction.
“The whole system of the
storm kind of catalyzed everything,” Billeisen said. “We’re not quite there yet
this season, but another big rain or two could set it off again.”
Her lab tracks armyworm
outbreaks using an interactive map and collects live specimens for research.
She recommends homeowners monitor for egg clusters on fences or siding and
watch for fast-spreading brown patches in their lawns.
“By the time you see the
damage, it’s often too late,” she said.
Pest Pressure Grows with
the Climate
Connors said the pests he
sees most—ants, mosquitoes and armyworms—have always been around. What has
changed is the speed and severity of their return.
“Extreme weather changes
everything,” he said. “Something that used to take a week to develop might take
three days now.”
The recent pattern—heavy rain
followed by intense heat—is creating longer-lasting infestations and more
persistent pressure on homeowners. Though pest populations vary from year to
year, Connors said one constant is ants.
“Everyone deals with odorous
house ants, or sugar ants, in North Carolina,” he said. “And the more rain we
get, the more they show up inside.”
According to Connors, some
pests can even sense changes in barometric pressure and enter homes ahead of a
storm.
“They’re survivors,” he said.
“They know where to go before we even know it’s coming.”
What You Can Do
Experts agree that prevention
is key. Dumping standing water remains the top recommendation for mosquito
control, followed by wearing insect repellent and protective
clothing—especially at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
Doyle also encourages
residents to support community mosquito control programs and to treat hidden
water sources such as gutters, irrigation tubing or plant trays.
For other pests, Connors
recommends inspecting your home’s perimeter, trimming overgrown vegetation, and
working with a licensed professional before pests take hold.
“By the time you’re reacting,
the damage is already done,” Connors said. “You have to think of pest control
the same way you think of storm prep. You don’t wait until it’s already here.”
Billeisen agrees, adding that
North Carolinians should expect insect pressures to continue rising as the
climate changes.
“We’re seeing longer seasons
and earlier activity,” she said. “And that’s not going away.”