This is North Carolina’s No. 1 Pest and It is Creepy and Crawly

Author Alexis Zarycki

January 19th, 2022 4:29 PM

A mouse or a rat may be considered a pet by some people. There are some who think they’re pests because they shriek on chairs as they try to get rid of them. The same can be said about certain spiders and snakes. Which pest makes you frightened?

In general, reactions to animals and insects considered pests vary widely. Many nuisances elicit fear in some people, while others can be so frightening that a phobia of them has been named. Pest Strategies decided to find out which pests were the most dreaded in each state.

For North Carolina, the number one pest that makes everyone scream is none other than the cockroach. Of course, because no one really enjoys these creepy-crawly pests. Cockroaches consistently rank as the most dread pest in the majority of states in the U.S.

After surveying over 3,500 people, Pest Strategies learned that:

• 21.5% of people surveyed felt grossed out, while 4% were delighted
• 25% of women ask someone else to handle it, compared to only 5% of men
• 33% of men prefer to crush it, while only 7% will vacuum it
• For people in North Carolina, cockroaches cause the strongest reaction, and crushing them is the most popular response.

Check out these key findings below from the study. You can see more on this study here.

• American Beaver

  Share

  Castor canadensis, the beaver, played an important role in North Carolina's economy well into the 1800s. Its fur was the most valuable item of trade in the colonies. As a result, the beaver was nearly trapped to extinction in many sections of the United States, including North Carolina.

• Armadillo, Nine-Banded.

  Share

  Only one species of armadillo lives in the southeast, the Nine-banded Armadillo. Native to Central and South America, the Nine-banded Armadillo was first recorded in Texas in 1849, but has since spread north and east, crossing the Mississippi River in the early 1940s, reaching western Tennessee in 1980, and reaching North Carolina in the late 2000's via natural dispersal from adjacent states.

• Black Bear

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  In North Carolina or anywhere else in the eastern United States, the black bear is the only bear species. The successful recovery of the American black bear in North Carolina is one of wildlife management's greatest achievements.
• Bobcat

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  North Carolina has a wide variety of habitats for bobcats, but they are found most commonly in the wooded Coastal Plain and mountains. East North Carolina's bottomlands, young pine stands, swamps, and pocosins are good habitats for bobcats. The mountains are characterized by mature forests with openings or early successional forests nearby. Bobcat dens are common in hollow trees, rock piles, brush piles, root masses of uprooted trees, etc.

• Bats

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  In North Carolina, bats mate either in the spring or fall and usually produce one pup per year. Their young are born alive. During the summer, many species form maternity colonies to raise their young, while others are solitary, roosting and raising young alone.

• Eastern Chipmunk

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  Hawks, owls, foxes, and snakes are among the predators protected by burrows. These small predators rely on eastern ground squirrels for food. During the winter, burrows provide safe quarters since the cold weather induces deep sleep. This "quasi-hibernation" is marked by slow breathing and low body temperature, often lasting for days on end. Winters in North Carolina are more active than those in colder climes.
• Coyote

  Share

  Red wolves look similar to coyotes in North Carolina, but coyotes are smaller, have pointed ears, and long, slender snouts. Usually carried pointed down, the tail is long, bushy, and black-tipped. Dark gray is the most common color, but blonde, red, and black are possible as well. It has a wide range of sizes, but with a maximum height of two feet and a maximum length of four feet.

• White-tailed Deer

  Share

  In North Carolina, no wild animal is more recognizable than the white-tailed deer. Whether a mature buck with magnificent antlers, a graceful doe, or a spotted fawn running with its mother, the white-tailed deer is one of the most popular animals.

• Elk

  Share

  In the past, the Eastern Elk roamed across the eastern United States, including parts of North Carolina. After the arrival of European settlers, however, unregulated hunting and loss of habitat led to rapid population declines through the 1700s. By the year 1800, the Eastern Elk was extirpated from North Carolina and by the mid-1800s, Eastern Elk had almost disappeared throughout their range entirely. The last known wild Eastern Elk was killed in Pennsylvania in 1877.
• Mink

  Share

  Minks are often considered vicious because they are also known as water weasels. Due to its habit of frequently killing prey that is larger than itself, it has earned this reputation. In wetlands, mink live in a variety of semi-aquatic habitats. Historically, the mink’s handsome fur has been highly prized, though the demand for wild fur has dropped in recent years.

GALLERY: List of Animals Native to North Carolina

As found by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

• American Beaver

  Share

  Castor canadensis, the beaver, played an important role in North Carolina's economy well into the 1800s. Its fur was the most valuable item of trade in the colonies. As a result, the beaver was nearly trapped to extinction in many sections of the United States, including North Carolina.

• Armadillo, Nine-Banded.

  Share

  Only one species of armadillo lives in the southeast, the Nine-banded Armadillo. Native to Central and South America, the Nine-banded Armadillo was first recorded in Texas in 1849, but has since spread north and east, crossing the Mississippi River in the early 1940s, reaching western Tennessee in 1980, and reaching North Carolina in the late 2000's via natural dispersal from adjacent states.

• Black Bear

  Share

  In North Carolina or anywhere else in the eastern United States, the black bear is the only bear species. The successful recovery of the American black bear in North Carolina is one of wildlife management's greatest achievements.
• Bobcat

  Share

  North Carolina has a wide variety of habitats for bobcats, but they are found most commonly in the wooded Coastal Plain and mountains. East North Carolina's bottomlands, young pine stands, swamps, and pocosins are good habitats for bobcats. The mountains are characterized by mature forests with openings or early successional forests nearby. Bobcat dens are common in hollow trees, rock piles, brush piles, root masses of uprooted trees, etc.

• Bats

  Share

  In North Carolina, bats mate either in the spring or fall and usually produce one pup per year. Their young are born alive. During the summer, many species form maternity colonies to raise their young, while others are solitary, roosting and raising young alone.

• Eastern Chipmunk

  Share

  Hawks, owls, foxes, and snakes are among the predators protected by burrows. These small predators rely on eastern ground squirrels for food. During the winter, burrows provide safe quarters since the cold weather induces deep sleep. This "quasi-hibernation" is marked by slow breathing and low body temperature, often lasting for days on end. Winters in North Carolina are more active than those in colder climes.
• Coyote

  Share

  Red wolves look similar to coyotes in North Carolina, but coyotes are smaller, have pointed ears, and long, slender snouts. Usually carried pointed down, the tail is long, bushy, and black-tipped. Dark gray is the most common color, but blonde, red, and black are possible as well. It has a wide range of sizes, but with a maximum height of two feet and a maximum length of four feet.

• White-tailed Deer

  Share

  In North Carolina, no wild animal is more recognizable than the white-tailed deer. Whether a mature buck with magnificent antlers, a graceful doe, or a spotted fawn running with its mother, the white-tailed deer is one of the most popular animals.

• Elk

  Share

  In the past, the Eastern Elk roamed across the eastern United States, including parts of North Carolina. After the arrival of European settlers, however, unregulated hunting and loss of habitat led to rapid population declines through the 1700s. By the year 1800, the Eastern Elk was extirpated from North Carolina and by the mid-1800s, Eastern Elk had almost disappeared throughout their range entirely. The last known wild Eastern Elk was killed in Pennsylvania in 1877.
• Mink

  Share

  Minks are often considered vicious because they are also known as water weasels. Due to its habit of frequently killing prey that is larger than itself, it has earned this reputation. In wetlands, mink live in a variety of semi-aquatic habitats. Historically, the mink’s handsome fur has been highly prized, though the demand for wild fur has dropped in recent years.

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Author Alexis Zarycki

Category:

• Animal News
• K104.7
• Local

Tags:

2022,Local,North Carolina,Pets