5 Deadliest Pests in North Carolina

From the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Outer Banks, North Carolina is a state full of beauty, wonder, and adventure. Unfortunately, there’s another thing that frequents North Carolina: dangerous pests. Spiders, snakes, and ants are just some of the pests that can go from simply irritating to downright dangerous in the snap of a finger. But which are the most deadly and dangerous? Learn about the 5 deadliest pests in North Carolina with the expert exterminators at A-1 Pest Control.

Common Pests in North Carolina

Because of North Carolina's warm weather and humidity, we tend to see bugs and pests quite often. Ants, cockroaches, water bugs, spiders, silverfish, and other stinging insects are common pests in North Carolina - but there are some bugs that could cause some serious harm if you run into them in the wild. It's important to learn about not just the common pests that live in this region, but the deadliest pests in North Carolina - it may just save your life!

Black Widow Spiders

According to the American poison control centers, around 2,500 black widow spider bites are reported each year.

Black widows are without question dangerous spiders. These shiny, black, poisonous arachnids are not outwardly aggressive, but if you happen to accidentally stumble upon one in a way that disturbs them, they will attack--and a bite can be serious.

These venomous bites affect your nervous system, and while some people have few symptoms, others can suffer severe pain, burning, swelling at the bite site. 

Even worse symptoms can include: 

• Sore or stiff muscles
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Difficulty breathing
• Rash
• Itching
• Weakness or tremors 

Brown Recluse Spiders

Brown recluse spiders don’t have the same sort of reputation that black widows do, but they have a seriously dangerous bite. In their venom, they have a toxin called sphingomyelinase D which can actually destroy skin tissues. It can cause the skin to bruise at first, then swell, and start turning various shades of dark purple, green, or brown.

The venom can also spread and create an ulcer, or even a big black scab on the wound made up of dead tissue. Some bites are less serious than others, but these spiders are definitely a creature that you want to stay away from if at all possible!

Poisonous Snakes

There are 6 poisonous snakes that reside in North Carolina: 

• Copperhead
• Cottonmouth
• Timber rattlesnake
• Pigmy rattlesnake
• Eastern diamondback rattlesnake
• Eastern coral snake

While each of these snakes is poisonous, by far the most common is the copperhead. On top of that, they bite more Americans yearly than any other snake! It’s almost never a fatal bite, but it can cause temporary tissue damage, and it definitely hurts. 

Fire Ants 

Fire ants actually aren’t native to the United States...but here they are in North Carolina. So what makes them so dangerous? Disturb their nests and you can be in for some seriously painful bites--and a lot of them.

Fire ants attack in swarms, so a hoard of fire ants swarming you can mean dozens and dozens of bites. While these bites for the most part are just painful and itchy, an allergic reaction to them is a totally different story. 

That sort of severe reaction can mean: 

• Difficulty breathing and/or swallowing
• Nausea
• Dizziness

If you are experiencing an allergic reaction to fire ant bites, it’s very important to get emergency treatment. An allergic reaction to a swarm of ant bites can be life-threatening! Do not hesitate to get to the hospital.

Termites

While termites aren't deadly, they can cause devastation like no other pest on this list. While termites don't attack or bite people, they do damage to homes in North Carolina. They destroy wood and cellulose material, which can mean a major threat to your home or property.

Termites cost homeowners about $5 billion dollars every single year. 

Structural damage can cause financial destruction, which is why we felt this North Carolina pest deserved to be on this list. It's important to know how to identify a termite infestation before it happens so you can avoid this type of devastation.

Trusted Exterminators and Pest Control in North Carolina

So it’s clear that in North Carolina we have some seriously devastating pests in our midst, but what can you do about it? Contact A-1 Pest Control of course! Whatever sort of deadly pest problem that you might be having, you can be sure that we can help get rid of the problem--and do it right.