This agreement supports infrastructure and costs to conduct compliance visits, surveys, outreach, and treatments for spotted lantern fly, as outlined above, in accordance with recognized procedures in…

The Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service awarded Clemson University a $136,467 cooperative agreement on September 1, 2026, to support infrastructure and invasive species management activities for spotted lanternfly detection, treatment, and outreach in South Carolina through August 31, 2027.

Clemson will design and implement a public outreach program educating South Carolina residents on spotted lanternfly threats, conduct visual surveys in high-risk areas surrounding known infestations, and respond to public reports through a dedicated reporting tool. The university will deploy circle traps and lampshade traps to aid detection and monitoring, investigate credible reports from non-infested areas, and survey all state-licensed plant nurseries as funding allows. When positive infestations are identified, Clemson will lead investigations and contract chemical treatments in targeted areas. Samples from new county detections will be maintained in regulatory custody, identified by the state entomologist, and sent to APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine for confirmation.

The award funds one full-time state survey coordinator, one state entomologist, one invasive species program coordinator, two full-time invasive species specialists, one outreach coordinator, and seven nursery district specialists to manage the response and conduct compliance visits across the state.

Activities

The recipient will design and implement a general outreach program to educate the public on the threat of spotted lantern fly to south carolina. The recipient will perform visual surveys for spotted lantern fly. High-risk areas surrounding known infestations. Visual detection of EGG masses, nymphs, and adults will be emphasized. Circle traps and lampshade traps may be deployed to aid detection and monitoring surveys. Public reports from an spotted lantern fly reporting tool will be monitored, and any credible reports from non-infested areas will be investigated. Clemson will visually survey known cogongrass sites and all south carolina-licensed plant nurseries as funding allows. Clemson will lead any investigations resulting from a new positive site. Deliverables and expected outcomes: the goal of this award is to provide outreach, treat current infestations, and detect the presence of additional spotted lantern fly infestations in south carolina. The project will be evaluated by a review of the work conducted. IT is expected that all objectives will be addressed accurately and timely and will be evaluated at the end of the agreement by the state plant health direction, state plant regulatory official, and state survey coordinator. The program will succeed if all tasks set forth in this work plan are accomplished. Intended benef iciary(IES): this award will benefit south carolina's residents, agricultural industries, nurseries, forestry industry and stakeholders. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award: clemson diagnostic lab to assist in the analysis of samples.