Will Tropical Storm Debby push snakes, rats & more into your SC home? Here’s what pest experts say

As Tropical Storm Debby moves up the Atlantic Coast, South Carolina is expecting heavy rainfall and potential flooding. For humans, that means stocking up on necessities and finding safe shelter, but animals and insects will be impacted as well.

Like humans, many critters and pests will seek out shelter from heavy rainfall, storm winds and flood water. Todd Metz, owner of Critter Control in Myrtle Beach, has worked in pest control for a decade and says residents can expect an influx of these, “casual invaders,” inside homes.

With storm weather on the way, here are the bugs and animals to watch out for in South Carolina during and after Tropical Storm Debby.

Roaches

South Carolina is home to plenty of these bugs, like the American cockroach, often called a palmetto bug by locals. As water levels rise, roaches sometimes seek refuge in homes through cracks and plumbing.

Spiders

Storms can also drive spiders inside away from the elements. While many spiders are harmless to humans, Metz advises South Carolinians to keep an eye out for black widows and brown recluses.

Snakes

Lots of swimming snakes call South Carolina home and may try to find shelter in homes and on porches. Even after flooding has gone down, displaced snakes may be stuck inside.

“They may end up coming into houses, through openings that normally they couldn’t get into because of the high water,” Metz said. “They could get left behind when the water recedes. That’s what we see a lot of when the water goes down. These animals may be trapped in an outbuilding or in a structure, a house or vehicle and places like that.”

According to the Department of Natural Resources, South Carolina has six venomous snake species to be extra cautious of: copperheads, coral snakes, cottonmouths, pigmy rattlesnakes, eastern diamondback rattlesnakes and timber rattlesnakes.

Rodents

During storms and flooding mice and rats will search out dry places to wait out bad weather. If they can find a big enough opening, rodents will sometimes try to use homes as shelter. As with snakes, rodents may have an easier time getting in than out and can get stuck inside.

Opossums

America’s only marsupials are found in counties throughout the Palmetto State. Opossums are less likely to get into your house than a roach or a rat, but they can still create problems. Opossums often seek shelter under houses to stay safe and dry. Unfortunately, this isn’t always safe.

“Animals can get trapped under a house and then they drown and die,” said Metz. “Then, once the flood waters recede, that can become a potential problem as well with attracting other insects, the smell and the removal of those animals.”

Fire ants

These insects aren’t typically a problem inside during floods, but are definitely a hazard outdoors. As water floods the ground, fire ants are forced out of their colony and seek higher ground. The insects form a “raft” of their bodies that floats atop flood waters.

To avoid painful bites and stings, anyone wading through flood water should keep an especially sharp eye out for these floating masses consisting of thousands of fire ants.

Mosquitoes

These blood-sucking nuisances aren’t much of a problem during a storm, but can be an issue afterward.

“Several of your mosquitoes will lie dormant for possibly years until you get a real high-rain event, and those eggs can hatch almost immediately,” Metz said, “and you’ll get a strong or high influx of mosquito activity.”

Once rain stops and flood waters recede, it’s a good idea to empty items holding water outside your home, like planters, tires, bird baths and trash cans.

“Anything like that, that can hold water, these mosquitoes are going to look for to lay their eggs,” said Metz, “So being diligent and removing any of that standing water would be very helpful.”

This story was originally published August 6, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Will Tropical Storm Debby push snakes, rats & more into your SC home? Here’s what pest experts say."