Pests to know in Wilmington
Termites in Wilmington
North Carolina's agriculture department says subterranean termites are by far the most common termites in the state, while the imported Formosan subterranean termite has been found in only a few locations.[2]
Invasive species reported here
North Carolina's imported fire ant quarantine covers all of New Hanover County.[5]
Pests local experts flag
State health officials say ticks are common in all areas of North Carolina, and more time outdoors, especially in wooded areas, raises the risk of tick-borne illness.[7]
Climate
Central Wilmington (ZIP 28401) is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night is 15 to 20°F.[10]
Public agencies that handle pests
- New Hanover County Mosquito Control divides the county into 29 spray zones and can send text or phone alerts, typically on the day spraying happens in your area.[1]
- County mosquito trucks spray ultra-low volume EPA-registered products in the evening and at night, and do not spray when winds exceed 10 mph.[1]
- New Hanover County Mosquito Control gives out free larvicide tablets, while supplies last, at the Health and Human Services building on Greenfield Street and at Environmental Health in the Government Center.[1]
- NCDHHS says the tick-borne illnesses most often seen in North Carolina are Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease and STARI, and the most frequent mosquito-borne ones include La Crosse encephalitis, West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis.[6]
Local rules and responsibilities
City of Wilmington Code Enforcement handles public nuisance complaints for high weeds over 8 inches.[9]
Hiring a licensed company
- North Carolina splits structural pest control licensing into household pests, wood-destroying organisms, and fumigation, and all structural pest control cards expire June 30 each year.[3]
- North Carolina's official Wood-Destroying Insect Information Report must come from a licensed company and is required on almost every residential structure sold in the state.[4]
Free local help
NC State Extension notes that North Carolina rules require drilling and treating concrete slabs such as garages, porches and patios, plus block foundation voids, during liquid termite treatments.[8]
Through the year
- Spring to Fall
- New Hanover County says its coastal setting and mild climate let mosquitoes develop rapidly from March through November.[1]
Sources
- New Hanover County Health & Human Services, “Mosquito Control.” www.nhcgov.com/674/Mosquito-Control (accessed 2026-10-06)
- N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division, “Post-Construction Subterranean Termite Control.” www.ncagr.gov/divisions/structural-pest-control-and-pesticides/structural/consumer-information/post-construction-subterranean-termite-control (accessed 2026-10-06)
- N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division, “Structural Pest Control Licensing & Certification.” www.ncagr.gov/divisions/structural-pest-control-and-pesticides/structural/licensing-and-certification (accessed 2026-10-06)
- N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division, “A Homebuyer's Guide to Wood-Destroying Insect Report (WDIR).” www.ncagr.gov/divisions/structural-pest-control-and-pesticides/structural/consumer-information/homeowners-guide-wood-destroying-insect-report (accessed 2026-10-06)
- N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Plant Industry Division, “2026 North Carolina Imported Fire Ant Quarantined Areas by County.” www.ncagr.gov/divisions/plant-industry/2026-nc-ifa-quarantine-boundary-descriptions/download (accessed 2026-10-06)
- N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, “Vector-Borne Diseases.” epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/cd/diseases/vector.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, “Tick-Borne Illnesses.” epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/cd/diseases/ticks.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
- NC State Extension, “Termite Baiting Systems.” content.ces.ncsu.edu/termite-baiting-systems (accessed 2026-10-06)
- City of Wilmington, “Code Enforcement.” wilmingtonnc.gov/Services/Housing-and-Neighborhood-Services/Code-Enforcement (accessed 2026-10-06)
- USDA ARS and PRISM, via phzmapi.org, “Plant hardiness zone for ZIP 28401 (2023 USDA map data).” phzmapi.org/28401.json (accessed 2026-10-06)
- National Pesticide Information Center, “State Pesticide Regulatory Agencies.” npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html (accessed 2026-10-06)