Beware the Wasp Attack: Storms Displace Insects in North Carolina

A nasty surprise is waiting for people in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. The storm's flooding has forced thousands of yellowjacket wasps and other stinging insects out of their underground nests. These homeless bugs are now on the prowl, looking for any target to sting! Authorities are taking steps to deal with this insect invasion. They're stocking up on Benadryl and epinephrine injections for people who have allergic reactions to stings. Pharmacies and doctors' offices report a rise in patients seeking help for stings, which can cause vomiting, dizziness, fever, or even anaphylaxis in serious cases. The North Carolina health department is buying more medicines to keep treatment centers ready. They also plan to let people buy EpiPens without a prescription temporarily. The best advice? Wear long-sleeved clothes when outside, especially if you're cleaning up after the storm and moving debris where insects might gather.

Experts at North Carolina State University say these wasps are like people who lost their homes. They're not happy and have nowhere to go back to. If they survived, they'll be buzzing around, unsure of what to do. Yellowjackets can be particularly troublesome with colonies containing up to 3,000 worker wasps. When disturbed, they swarm out to sting anything that caused the disruption. Mosquitoes are also a growing concern due to standing water left by receding floods. These waters become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, leading to more of them around flooded areas. There's some good news, though. Next spring, there might be fewer yellowjackets because many queens likely drowned during the storm. They hibernate through fall and winter in their nests.

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