Hurricane Helene has caused widespread damage to people’s homes, but it’s also caused issues for the homes of other creatures, which has led to an increase in unwanted interactions.

The Associated Press is reporting that bees, yellow jackets, and other insects are swarming above ground in North Carolina after the devastating flooding from Hurricane Helene damaged their underground nests. As a result, stings are up, including among people working to restore electricity.

There’s also a higher demand for sting medications like Benadryl and EpiPens, which the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has been purchasing to help fill requests from health care providers. Organizations like Direct Relief are also helping.

This is only part of the effort to help North Carolinians in need of medications. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently activated the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program for North Carolina. This provides help for uninsured residents to replace medications or medical equipment lost due to the storm.

When it comes to the storm’s impacts on bees and yellow jackets, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences says that floods can cause insects that live below ground to seek new homes and food sources, which makes people more apt to have an encounter with them.

This is true of other wildlife, as well, including manatees that get stranded after hurricanes. Flooding can also wash out the nests and the young of other wildlife.

It's not just wild bees and insects that are being impacted by Hurricane Helene, either. Beekeepers throughout the Southeast are reporting that an estimated 95,000 honey bee hives were destroyed due to the storm. We’re working with Greater Good Charities and Mann Lake Bee and Ag Supply to provide emergency feed to the surviving bees, whose natural food sources – including crops and flowers – have also been largely wiped out. If you’d like to help, click below!