The Greenery will host a free education talk, “Invasive Hornets in the Lowcountry,” on Saturday, October 24, at 10:00 a.m. at The Greenery Garden Center, 960 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. The seminar will feature Allison Lewis, Invasive Hornet Survey Specialist with Clemson University’s Department of Plant Industry, along with her team and The Greenery staff.
The yellow-legged hornet (YLH), first detected in the U.S. in Savannah in 2023, has rapidly spread throughout the Lowcountry, with Beaufort County at the center of South Carolina’s population. A natural predator of honeybees and other pollinators, the YLH has raised concerns among local beekeepers and gardeners.
The seminar will cover YLH identification, the impact on pollinators, and how the public can help track the species. Clemson University will also share resources and guidance for reporting sightings. Community members are encouraged to report hornets or nests with the date and exact location, and photos are welcome when taken safely from a distance.
