Wondering why bees are swarming your yard or digging holes in the lawn? You’re likely seeing ground-nesting bees—harmless, solitary pollinators that emerge in early spring. Learn how to identify them, why they’re not damaging your turf, and how to manage nesting naturally while protecting these essential insects.
“I have found a hammerhead worm in my South Carolina landscape. What do I do?” North Carolina State Extension wrote an excellent publication on terrestrial flatworms, with common species around...
“I’ve received a letter from my pest control company about my home’s termite bond for Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus. What do I do?” According to Dr. Eric Benson’s article on...
“Though she be but little, she is fierce.” ~William Shakespeare~ Green Lynx Spider ( Peucetia viridans) Barbara H. Smith, ©2021 HGIC, Clemson University American Painted Lady Butterfly...
Decorative Crypsis Display by Synchlora spp. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) The ability to camouflage oneself and the level of that camouflage is often a matter of life and death for an insect. Adults...
Eastern Cicada Killer, (Sphecius speciosus) The appearance of Eastern cicada killer, Sphecius speciosus, indicates that we are in the throes of summer. Although menacing-looking due to their size...
I liken the house centipede, Scutigera coleoptrata, to a swift-moving hairball. Due to their secretive behavior, dart and freeze movements, and what seems like an overabundance of legs, encounters...
Dog Vomit Slime Mold Dog vomit slime mold is not: from or caused by a dog, actual vomit, slimy, or a fungus! Dog vomit slime mold is not a true fungi but, instead, a single-cell fungus-like organism...
Slime Mold Slime molds are not true fungi but, instead, fungus-like organisms that exist in nature as plasmodia. Slime molds grow on, engulf, and absorb their food which consists of decaying organic...
Dark-winged fungus gnat (Diptera: Sciaridae) maggots Dark-winged fungus gnat (Diptera: Sciaridae) maggots (fly larvae) are about 3/8 inch long, slender, legless, and have transparent bodies with...
Lovebugs, Plecia nearctica (Diptera: Bibionidae) are small, black-colored flies except for the top of the thorax being red. The common name “lovebug” refers to the adult male and female flying...
Moth fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) Moth flies (order: Diptera) are in the family Psychodidae. Entomologists often refer to insects using a shortened version of the family name. In this instance, I...
