No Yellow‑Legged Hornets Found in Horry County as State Focuses on Lowcountry Eradication Zone

 Lowcountry remains the only active response area as statewide surveillance continues

Horry County, SC — Horry County officials say there are currently no confirmed detections of the invasive yellow‑legged hornet, a bee‑eating species that has prompted an aggressive eradication campaign in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. Clemson University’s Department of Plant Industry (DPI), which oversees statewide invasive pest response, reports that all verified hornet activity remains more than a hundred miles south of the Grand Strand.

The yellow‑legged hornet, originally from Asia, poses a significant threat to honeybee colonies and commercial pollination.

The species was first detected near Savannah, Georgia, in 2023 and later spread into southern South Carolina. Since then, state and federal teams have concentrated their efforts on the areas where the hornet has actually established itself.

DPI says the current eradication zone includes portions of Beaufort and Jasper counties, including Bluffton, Hilton Head, and the Parris Island area. These locations have produced multiple confirmed sightings and nest removals. Field teams are using mass trapping, nest destruction, and tracking techniques to locate and eliminate colonies before new queens disperse later in the season.

Despite the statewide surveillance program, Clemson officials say there is no evidence the hornet has moved north into Horry County. Local beekeepers are not being asked to deploy traps or take special precautions at this time. The county remains in a watch‑and‑report posture, meaning residents should notify DPI if they encounter a suspicious hornet but do not need to assume local risk.

State officials emphasize that the eradication effort is concentrated in the Lowcountry because that is where the hornet has been found, but the response framework is statewide. Rapid‑response teams can be deployed anywhere in South Carolina if a new detection occurs.