Pests and pest control in Raleigh, NC

Pests to know in Raleigh

• Mosquito
• Subterranean termites
• Spotted Lanternfly
• Asian Longhorned Tick

Why each one matters here is cited in the sections below.

Termites in Raleigh

NC State Extension says eastern subterranean termites are found in every North Carolina county, so homes statewide are at constant risk.^[8]

Invasive species reported here

• The invasive spotted lanternfly was first confirmed in North Carolina in June 2022, in Kernersville in Forsyth County; NCDA&CS asks residents to report sightings.^[10]
• The invasive Asian longhorned tick was confirmed in North Carolina in June 2018, found on an opossum in Polk County.^[11]

Climate

Central Raleigh (ZIP 27601) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8a, where the average coldest winter night is 10 to 15°F.^[12]

Public agencies that handle pests

• Wake County does not run a mosquito spraying program; residents report mosquito complaints to Wake County Public Health's communicable disease staff.^[1]
• State health data show Wake and Mecklenburg counties have historically reported the most neuroinvasive West Nile virus cases in North Carolina.^[2]

Local rules and responsibilities

• Wake County Code Enforcement handles complaints including stagnant water and mosquito harborage, along with illegal dumping and unsafe buildings.^[3]
• Raleigh's code requires dwellings to be kept free of insects and rodents; owners must exterminate when two or more units are infested or shared areas are affected.^[4]

Hiring a licensed company

In North Carolina, structural pest control work for hire must be done by a licensee or by someone employed and supervised by one; licenses cover household pest, wood-destroying organism and fumigation phases.^[9]

Licensing agency: North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services — Structural Pest Control & Pesticide Division^[13].

See also how to check a pest control license.

Free local help

• Wake County's Extension Master Gardener Gardening Helpline answers residents' plant and insect questions by phone, email or online form on weekdays.^[5]
• NC State's Plant Disease and Insect Clinic in Raleigh provides insect identification and plant disease diagnosis, with county Extension offices in all 100 counties as access points.^[6]

Through the year

Summer to Fall

In North Carolina, neuroinvasive West Nile cases in 2025 were reported from July through November, the typical seasonal pattern.^[2]

Spring

NC State Extension notes native subterranean termites usually swarm during the daytime, frequently in spring and often after a rainstorm.^[7]

Sources

1. Wake County Government, “Mosquito Prevention.” www.wake.gov/departments-government/health-human-services/public-health-and-medical-services/communicable-diseases-and-pests/mosquito-prevention (accessed 2026-10-06)
2. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, “NC Endemic Mosquito-Borne Disease Annual Report 2025.” www.dph.ncdhhs.gov/epidemiology/communicable-disease/endemic-mbd-surveillancesummary2025finalapprovedpdf/open (accessed 2026-10-06)
3. Wake County Government, “Health and Safety Complaints.” www.wake.gov/departments-government/environmental-health-safety/health-and-safety-complaints (accessed 2026-10-06)
4. City of Raleigh, “Sec. 11.6.4. Responsibilities of Persons.” udo.raleighnc.gov/sec-1164-responsibilities-persons (accessed 2026-10-06)
5. N.C. Cooperative Extension, Wake County Center, “Gardening Helpline.” wake.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-master-gardener-volunteers-of-wake-county/gardening-helpline/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
6. NC State Extension, “About - Plant Disease and Insect Clinic.” pdic.ces.ncsu.edu/about (accessed 2026-10-06)
7. NC State Extension, “Termite Swarmers: What Do They Mean for You?.” content.ces.ncsu.edu/termite-swarmers-what-do-they-mean-for-you (accessed 2026-10-06)
8. NC State Extension, “Biology and Behavior of Eastern Subterranean Termites.” content.ces.ncsu.edu/biology-behavior-of-eastern-subterranean-termites (accessed 2026-10-06)
9. N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, “Structural Pest Control and Pesticides - Structural Licensing and Certification.” www.ncagr.gov/divisions/structural-pest-control-and-pesticides/structural/licensing-and-certification (accessed 2026-10-06)
10. NC State Extension Forestry, “Spotted Lanternfly Confirmed in North Carolina.” forestry.ces.ncsu.edu/2022/06/spotted-lanternfly-confirmed-in-north-carolina/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
11. NC State Extension IPM, “Longhorned Tick Discovered in North Carolina.” ipm.ces.ncsu.edu/2018/07/longhorned-tick-discovered-in-north-carolina/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
12. USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 27601 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/27601.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
13. National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)