The forest tent caterpillar is a native defoliating insect present throughout the eastern U.S. This insect is typically not a problem but can occasionally reach outbreak populations that are capable of wide-scale defoliation in hardwood forests.
The Jorō spider, an orbweaver native to Asia, is now common in the southeastern U.S. Despite sensationalized headlines, these large spiders are docile and pose little threat to humans or pets. Learn about their lifecycle, distinctive features, and tips for managing their presence on your property.
In South Carolina, four large yellow and black orbweaver spiders are commonly found: the yellow garden spider, banded garden spider, golden silk orbweaver, and the invasive Jorō spider. These spiders are known for their impressive webs and docile nature. All spiders play a role in controlling pest populations, making them valuable to both humans and the environment. Discover their fascinating behaviors, reproductive habits, and how they contribute to the ecosystem.
Centipedes are fast-moving creatures that can be a nuisance indoors. This guide covers some of the different types of centipedes, their behavior, how to identify them, and effective strategies for controlling them, both naturally and with pesticides.
In the spring, just as the leaves are starting to expand on trees, silken webs sometimes appear on tree branches and stems – they start small, then gradually increase in size until they can be...
Millipedes are slow-moving, worm-like animals with many body segments and many legs. Millipedes are often called “thousand leggers” because it sometimes appears as though they have a thousand legs –...
Cicadas are large, plant-feeding insects known for their loud, shrill noise and discarded shells (called exoskeletons) that cling to trees and other vegetation. Cicadas belong to the suborder...
Introduction The elm zigzag sawfly, or EZS, is an invasive pest that defoliates native and non-native elm species. It originates from East Asia but has been a problem on elms in Europe since 2003....
Bess beetles (Family Passalidae) are wood-dwelling, socially active beetles with around 500 species worldwide. They often live in decaying wood in forests. Burrowing through the decaying wood, they...
With their showy and often fragrant blooms, roses are easily one of the most popular flowering plants grown in South Carolina. Unfortunately, the numerous insects and related pests that attack them...
Boxwoods (Buxus spp.) are adapted to a wide range of light conditions and prefer fertile, moist, well-drained soil, which is amended with organic matter. For information on species, varieties, and...
Earwigs are insects in the order Dermaptera, meaning “leather wing”. They are fearsome looking insects known for the false superstition that they will burrow in the ears of humans. While they can...
