Spotted Lanternfly in South Carolina: Status & What to Do (2026)

South Carolina is the newest confirmed state on the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) map in the Southeast. Confirmed detections have been recorded in the Upstate region — the northwestern counties of South Carolina that share a border with North Carolina and are adjacent to the Georgia counties where SLF was first confirmed in 2023–2024.

As of mid-2026, South Carolina sits at an early-stage infestation. The insect is established in parts of the Upstate but has not yet reached the Midlands, the Lowcountry, the Grand Strand coastal zone, or the major population centers of Columbia and Charleston. That geographic reality shapes what SC residents and agricultural producers should understand right now.

Current Status in South Carolina

The first confirmed SLF detections in South Carolina were recorded in the counties bordering North Carolina — particularly in the mountain and foothills corridor where SLF spread southward through the Appalachian chain. This mirrors the pattern seen in Georgia, where the insect established first in the Blue Ridge counties before any presence was confirmed farther south.

By mid-2026, the confirmed zone in South Carolina remains concentrated in Upstate counties including Oconee, Pickens, Greenville, and Spartanburg — areas that are heavily connected to both the North Carolina infestation zone (where SLF is well-established across the western piedmont and mountain counties) and the Georgia infestation zone to the southwest.

The rest of South Carolina — the Midlands, the Pee Dee region, the ACE Basin, the Sea Islands, and the coast — has no confirmed established populations as of this writing. However, isolated detections from hitchhiking insects on vehicles, nursery stock, and transported goods can and do occur anywhere in the state.

Why South Carolina Is Vulnerable

Several features of South Carolina's landscape and economy make SLF spread a serious concern:

Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) — SLF's preferred host and the primary vehicle for population buildup — is widespread throughout South Carolina, particularly along roadsides, disturbed land, and highway corridors. The I-85 and I-26 corridors connecting the Upstate to the rest of the state are lined with tree of heaven, creating potential spread pathways as infestations build in the Upstate. Agriculture at risk includes South Carolina's peach industry (SC is among the top peach-producing states on the East Coast), viticulture (especially the growing number of wineries in the Upstate and Midlands), hops production tied to the state's craft brewing industry, and significant hardwood timber resources in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. SLF feeding stress on grapevines and stone fruit trees can reduce yields and weaken trees over multiple seasons of heavy infestation. Tourism and outdoor recreation in the Upstate — including Table Rock, Caesar's Head, and the Chattooga River corridor — could see nuisance impacts during peak SLF adult season (August–November), when swarms of adults congregate on host trees.

State Agency: Where to Report in South Carolina

The lead agency for spotted lanternfly in South Carolina is the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA), which coordinates with USDA APHIS on survey, monitoring, and response activities.

To report a sighting in South Carolina:

Visit the SCDA website at agriculture.sc.gov and use the pest reporting portal
Contact SCDA's Plant Industry Division directly by phone or email (contact information available on the SCDA website)
Submit a report through the iNaturalist app (project: Spotted Lanternfly Sightings USA) — reports are reviewed by experts and shared with state agencies
Use the EDDMapS reporting tool, which feeds data to the USDA and state extension networks

When reporting, photograph the insect clearly, note the GPS location or address, record the date, and note the life stage (egg mass, nymph, or adult). Reports from outside the currently confirmed Upstate zone are especially valuable for tracking potential spread.

Clemson University Cooperative Extension also provides educational resources and can assist with identification — contact your local Clemson Extension county office with questions or specimens.

What SC Residents Should Do Right Now

If you're in the Upstate (Greenville, Spartanburg, Pickens, Oconee, Cherokee, York counties):

Learn to identify SLF at all life stages — egg masses (November–May), nymphs (May–July), and adults (July–November)
Kill adults on sight by stepping on them, swatting them, or knocking them into soapy water
Scrape egg masses off smooth surfaces (tree bark, stone, outdoor furniture, vehicles, firewood) and seal them in a bag or crush them thoroughly
Check vehicles and outdoor gear before traveling, particularly if you are driving from an infested area to uninfested parts of the state
Consider treating heavily infested tree of heaven with systemic insecticide or removing it entirely — this removes the primary population reservoir near your property

If you're outside the Upstate:

Know what SLF looks like so you can identify and report it immediately if you see one
Be cautious when accepting nursery stock, firewood, or landscaping materials from the Upstate or from states with heavy SLF infestations (PA, NJ, NY, MD, VA)
Report any suspected sighting immediately to SCDA — early reports in new locations are the most actionable data the state has

For growers and vineyard operators:

Contact the SCDA or Clemson Extension for guidance on monitoring protocols and treatment options
Systemic insecticides (imidacloprid via soil drench or trunk injection, dinotefuran via bark spray) are the most effective options for high-value trees and vines
Establish a perimeter monitoring program during adult season

The Bottom Line

South Carolina is in the early stages of a spotted lanternfly infestation that will almost certainly expand. The Upstate is the current battleground, but the insect's capacity to move with human activity means the rest of the state is not permanently protected. Reporting sightings promptly, managing tree of heaven on your property, and learning the insect's life cycle are the most impactful actions individual residents and property owners can take right now.