In the earth beneath our neighborhoods, the woods surrounding our favorite hiking trails and the waters that line our coasts lurks a strange phenomenon: Creatures that have traveled great distances to call communities in the South home – and wreak havoc on the world around them.
As unwelcome as these new neighbors may be, they’re also giving scientists, farmers, fisherfolk, homeowner associations and more a chance to get creative finding ways to eliminate these species, mitigate their harm or work toward a more peaceful coexistence.
CREEP is a podcast that encourages us to lean in for a closer look at how insects and animals are changing the environment, economy and health of our region in ways we never expected. Listen, subscribe and get to know some of nature’s most fascinating, grotesque and mysterious members.
Presented in partnership with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
Meet the Hosts
Laura Pellicer is a digital news reporter. She was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, a city she considers arrestingly beautiful, if not a little dysfunctional. Laura loves tracing innovations in science and technology and pursuing stories about the natural world. She is enamored with North Carolina — notably the lush forests, and the waves where she moonlights as a mediocre surfer. Follow Laura on Twitter @LauraPLive.
Elizabeth Friend grew up in North Carolina listening to public radio in the backseat of the family station wagon. She's been reporting and producing at WUNC since 2016, covering everything from Army history to armadillos. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the outside world, dabbling in esoteric crafts, and cheese.
Production Team
Amanda Magnus, managing editor, @amandamagnus
Sophia Friesen, AAAS fellow, @sophiafriesen2
Anisa Khalifa, producer, @anisakhalifa_
Charlie Shelton-Ormond, producer/sound designer, @chuck_so
Lindsay Foster Thomas, executive producer, @LFTeveryvoice
Eleanor Spicer Rice, science editor, @VerdantEleanor
Theme music by Quilla (Anna Luisa Daigneault), @quilla
Original illustration by Iris Gottlieb, @irisgottlieb
Original logo by Matthew Scott
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Invasive crayfish species are spreading throughout North Carolina, which is bad news for freshwater ecosystems. -
If you had to guess the top five largest invasive species in the world, where would you start? And why, exactly, are we moving these behemoths around the globe? -
Argentine black and white tegus can regulate their body temperature. This could help them invade as far north as North Carolina. -
Tegus are armed with a metabolic superpower and a powerful appetite for eggs, but they’re also easily domesticated, making them both beloved family pets and unwelcome hungry pests. Throughout the South, these giant lizards are raising eyebrows, breaking hearts and launching lawsuits. -
Lionfish and hippos and tegus, oh my! CREEP is back with a new season of discovery about species that are creating a world of new problems in new parts of the world. New episodes coming July 26th.
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Rats have been hitching a ride with humans around the globe for so long, it’s easy to forget that in most places they are an invasive species. These clever, voracious vermin have staked their claim on cities across six continents, but in some parts of the world, there’s a push to reclaim key places from rats and rebuild fractured native ecosystems. | Support CREEP with a donation at wunc.org/give.
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CREEP co-host Elizabeth Friend shares a special message of gratitude to listeners and extends an invitation to be in touch ahead of the next new episode. | Support this show with a donation to wunc.org/give.
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Feral swine — also known as wild hogs, razorbacks, or Russian boar — cause upwards of $2.5 billion in damages across the United States each year. -
What does Babe the Pig have in common with Hogzilla? And how do we keep a porcine plague from spreading throughout the South? Farmers, trappers and wildlife experts from Western North Carolina to West Texas search for solutions to the region’s big pig problem. | Find more about animal invaders at wunc.org/creep.
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Fire ants are an invasive species, and they're here to stay in North Carolina. Here's what to do if a colony pops up in your backyard.
