We receive numerous calls here at the Wildlife Commission during the growing season from panicked landowners who have “a bunch of little bees hovering over the ground.” We are here to help!
Believe it or not, most of the more than 500 native bee species in North Carolina nest underground. (Hopefully you haven’t discovered that the hard way! Shoes are your friend when outdoors!)
We are currently seeking nominations for the Lawrence G. Diedrick Small Game Award which recognizes meaningful contributions of an individual or organization that benefit North Carolina’s small game populations and/or small game habitat. This includes efforts in habitat management, education, hunter engagement and research.
They are elusive and hard to find. Sometimes referred to as a “feathered mouse” due to their movement and behavior, these secretive little, marsh-loving birds called Eastern black rails, once widespread in North Carolina, are at risk of extinction. And the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is seeking public review of a management plan developed to save this very important species from disappearing.
As North Carolina’s only native trout, the brook trout is the official freshwater fish of our state and is near and dear to so many. Numerous generations of Western North Carolinians have grown up fishing for, or hearing about, “specks” (the name often used locally), while many anglers continue to travel to our mountains to fish and create their own stories. Approximately 370,000 anglers fished the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Public Mountain Trout Waters in 2022, which generated close to $1.4 billion for the state’s economy.
We are currently seeking nominations for the
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission partnering with N.C. State for research study in the Triangle
If you build it, they will come—nesting waterbirds, that is.
BearWise® (bearwise.org) is an outreach program that provides science-based resources and information on how to live responsibly with American black bears. The program encourages residents, businesses and communities to take proactive measures to avoid conflicts with bears with a goal for harmonious co-habitation. It’s helpful information for anyone living in communities frequented by bears – which can literally be almost anywhere in the state!