FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, November 14, 2024 Office of Communications 404-656-3689
Invasive Spotted Lanternfly Detected in Georgia
ATLANTA, GA — Today, the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) has received confirmation from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that the first detection of Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula or SLF), an invasive planthopper that poses a serious risk to the state's agriculture, was made in Fulton County, Georgia on October 22, 2024, and confirmed by USDA APHIS on November 14, 2024. The first confirmed detection of the Spotted Lanternfly was made in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has spread to 17 states, including Tennessee and North Carolina.
“The Spotted Lanternfly, an invasive pest that poses a serious threat to our state’s #1 industry, has been detected for the first time in Georgia,” said Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. “We urge anyone who sees the Spotted Lanternfly in their area to document it, report it, and kill it. Controlling the spread of the Spotted Lanternfly is our best strategy for safeguarding Georgia’s agriculture industry, and we are asking for the public’s help in this effort.”
