North Carolina has a state insect (it’s the bumblebee). I’m all for state pride, but isn’t there a point when we’ve gone too far? Apparently not, as we are soon to be adding a state wildflower to the mix (the Carolina lily). Not to be confused with the regular old state flower (dogwood).
Of course, you’ve got your usual suspects with the state tree (pine), the state bird (cardinal), and the state nickname (the Old North State or the Tar Heel State). Yes, we have two nicknames. How about your state? We also have a state motto (Esse Quam Videri), which translates into “to be rather than to seem”, which I actually like.
But then we also have a state berry (blueberry), state red berry (strawberry), state beverage (milk), state boat (shad boat), state colors (red and blue), state dog (plott hound), state fish (channel bass), state fruit (scuppernong grape), state mammal (gray squirrel), state reptile (eastern box turtle), state rock (granite), state shell (scotch bonnet), and a state stone (emerald), which you don’t want to confuse with the state rock. There’s even a state vegetable (sweet potato).