Common Insects & Spiders in Raleigh, North Carolina

There are several types of insects and spiders in Raleigh, North Carolina that seem to come back full strength year after year. Some of them become pests and cause infestations; others take care of the yard and get rid of more annoying pests like mosquitoes. One pest control service in Raleigh makes an annual list of the worst pests to local residents.

Widows

• Widow spiders made Raleigh's top five worst pest list in 2010. Most people recognize black widow spiders by the red marking on the underside, but they do not always have the distinct markings. Widows go through several stages and not all have the red hourglass mark. Before they mature or if they are male, they will have different coloration and different patterns. They are identifiable by their spiny legs, and if they are babies, there is likely a full-grown female black widow nearby.

Bedbugs

• Bedbugs are the third most common pest in Raleigh, and there is a lot of talk about the "bedbug epidemic" in the area. Apartment dwellers are the most seriously impacted, especially when a neighboring apartment is sprayed for the bedbug and the survivors move next door and are a little more resilient to the pesticide and even more difficult to eradicate. According to Alchemy, the bedbug was saved and became more common in Raleigh because of a popular bedbug treatment that made them resilient without killing them.

Fire Ant

• Fire ant mounds are appearing in more and more neighborhoods in Raleigh. Fire ants, which are not native to the United States, are very aggressive and have painful bites when they attack. The mound that fire ants build is distinct. The colony numbers in the tens of thousands since the queen fire ant lays 2,000 eggs each day. Queens live and rule their workers from deep underground. Sometimes there will be more than one queen. Because of how prolific the queens are, there are generally colonies that spring up over night near the first colony. Often people will have colonies of fire ants in their yard before they know it because the ant builds the underground first and then quickly erects a mound.

Cockroaches and Silverfish

• Cockroaches are the second worst pest for homes in Raleigh, according to Alchemy Pest Control. It made pest No. 5 on Alchemy's list for 2011. There are many types of roaches, but five types cause most the infestation problems in Raleigh. Along with roaches, Raleigh residents battle silverfish, which came in fourth on Alchemy's list. Earwigs are a problem in houses also, but they are even more of a problem because they are more difficult to control. Flea seasons are very serious in the area, but another pest local residents must watch for is the clover mite. Homes are invaded every spring in Raleigh by clover mites.