Olympus Gaia Pad

About the Program
Olympus Gaia Pad is a facility owned by Olympus Energy, LLC, and is located in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, 18 miles southwest of Pittsburgh. The company implemented a new project to address the invasive spotted lanternfly. This project provides education to employees and youth to understand the importance of stopping spotted lanternflies, outlining the lifecycle and habits of spotted lanternfly, understanding why there is a quarantine zone and how it works, finding and destroying spotted lanternfly and implementing best practices while working in the quarantine zone. A new pollinator garden of native plants was also planted in 2022.

Practices and Impacts

• A baseline survey of the designated project area was conducted. Locations of the preferred host plants of spotted lanternfly were recorded. These areas along with the entire property are monitored monthly. Observations of indicators are made by looking for eggs, "honeydew excretions" or sooty mold (fungi).
• Remote observation is done via a wildlife camera placed at the site and focused in areas where spotted lanternflies may be observed. The camera has high sensitivity for insects. The photos are downloaded monthly, and the camera batteries are switched out monthly.
• Olympus employees record daily site and vehicle inspections. Educational information is shared to familiarize employees with the spotted lanternfly. An annual review of information and refresher training is provided.
• An event was held for Scout troops who learned about native and invasive species and spotted lanternfly life cycles and elimination.
• A survey was conducted via Survey Monkey to determine if the educational objectives were met for employees to conduct monitoring. The survey results were conclusive that employees learned how to identify and eliminate spotted lanternflies.
• All Olympus staff are trained to identify the different life cycles and eliminate the species if seen. All company trucks and equipment are also inspected prior to transport to keep the spotted lanternfly from moving outside of currently quarantined areas. Staff receive regular reminders such as visible stickers, email reminders and formal training. Olympus plans to be operating at the site for many years to come, so elimination of the spotted lanternfly is essential to support the agriculture currently conducted on portions of the property.
• Fortunately, no spotted lanternflies have yet been spotted.