Category: invasive species

South Carolina residents should be on the lookout for another invader: the invasive spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula). Originally from Southeastern Asia, the spotted lanternfly (SLF) was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014 and is now established in 14 surrounding states, reaching as far south as North Carolina. Spotted lanternfly prefers Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) […]

The forests of South Carolina – like those throughout the United States – certainly have their share of pests. While most of these pests are native and typically only impact stressed or injured trees, several non-native species are present and established in South Carolina. And of those non-native species, a few are true invasives, capable […]

Take just a short drive down the road or interstate, and I bet you will have a good chance of seeing Tree-of-Heaven. In the last few years, I have really started to notice this tree along the sides of roads. I have also made numerous landowner visits where I have seen it on their property. […]

The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) is an invasive woodboring pest found in Charleston County in May 2020. ALB primarily attacks maples (especially red maple), elms, willows, birches, and several other tree species. Adults are large (up to 1 ½” long) black beetles with white spots, black and white striped antennae, and bluish feet. ALB signs […]

The emerald ash borer (EAB) was first detected in South Carolina in August 2017. This invasive species is now present throughout Eastern North America and has been found in six Upstate counties (Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, and York). EAB attacks all species of ash trees (Fraxinus species) and feeding by their larvae will often […]

The Asian longhorned beetle has been found near Hollywood, SC. This invasive tree pest primarily attacks maples (especially red maple) but also elms, willows, birches, and several other tree species. Clemson Regulatory Services, Clemson Extension, and USDA APHIS need your help in detecting this beetle, which is currently found only in Charleston County. Adults are […]

Large, showy, purple wisteria flowers are covering trees along roadsides this time of year. While they are pretty, most of what you are seeing is also invasive. Several wisteria species live in South Carolina. American (Wisteria frutescens) and Kentucky wisteria (W. macrostachya) are native species. They are not all that aggressive in terms of their […]

Hack-and-squirt, sometimes referred to as frill-and-spray, is a herbicide application method that applies the herbicide into the stem (trunk) and is used to target specific undesirable trees. There is a slight variance between hack-and-squirt and frill-and-spray. Generally, hack-and-squirt refers to a cut or series of cuts around the trunk of the tree determined by tree […]

It is time to get privet under control with a method that works in the late fall that most people can do! Glyphosate is a non-restricted-use product that can be found at local places and at an affordable price. It is a non-selective herbicide product, thus why we want to use this method in the […]

Armadillos have become the talk of the town throughout South Carolina. They are often found digging in gardens, flower beds, or yards searching for food or taking a very long “nap” upside down near the road. There are currently 20 species of armadillo in existence, but the Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is the only species […]