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Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
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Spotted Lanternfly

The spotted lanternfly is a threat to many fruit crops and trees. Learn how to spot it and report it.

The Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is native to China and was first detected in Pennsylvania in September 2014. Spotted lanternfly feeds on a wide range of fruit, ornamental and woody trees, with tree-of-heaven being one of the preferred hosts. Spotted lanternflies are invasive and can be spread long distances by people who move infested material or items containing egg masses. Juvenile spotted lanternflies, known as nymphs, and adults prefer to feed on the invasive tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) but also feed on a wide range of crops and plants, including grapes, apples, hops, walnuts and hardwood trees.



Spotted lanternfly populations are currently found in 17 states including: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

State Specific Reporting Information

Connecticut

  • If you think you may have found SLF in Connecticut, do not attempt to move any wood or other potentially infested material from the site. Instead, you can do one of two things:
  • Follow the instructions on the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Spotted Lanternfly sample submission form to send a dead specimen sample; or
  • Take lots of photos and carefully note the location to report your finding via the online reporting form to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Delaware

Illinois

Indiana

Kentucky

  • University of Kentucky extension information on SLF. To report SLF sightings in Kentucky send a picture of SLF or its life stages to reportapest@uky.edu and include the time, date and where you found it in your email.

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Virginia

West Virginia

Most states are considered at risk. See Pest Tracker for details

  • Almonds
  • Apples
  • Apricots
  • Cherries
  • Grapes
  • Hops
  • Maple Trees
  • Nectarines
  • Oak Trees
  • Peaches
  • Pine Trees
  • Plums
  • Poplar Trees
  • Sycamore Trees
  • Walnut Trees
  • Willow Trees

Spotted lanternfly (SLF) does not fly long distances, but it is a hitchhiker. Starting in the fall, SLF seek out outdoor surfaces and lay mud-like egg masses on tree bark, outdoor gear (such as lawnmowers, bikes, and grills), methods of transport, and more.

Spotted lanternfly egg masses are about an inch long and resemble a smear of mud. If found in an area known to have an SLF population, residents should crush them and scrape them off. Travelers passing through SLF quarantine areas should thoroughly check their vehicles, trailers, and even the clothes they are wearing to avoid accidently moving the spotted lanternfly from a quarantine area to somewhere new.

If you find this pest outside of a spotted lanternfly quarantine area, please take a picture of it and note the location to report it to your State Department of Agriculture before killing it.

  • Plants that ooze or weep and have a fermented odor
  • Buildup of sticky fluid (honeydew) on plants and on the ground underneath infested plants
  • Sooty mold on infested plants
  • When preparing for the winter holidays, check outdoor items for spotted lanternfly egg masses, including those items you may bring indoors. Scrape any egg masses into a plastic zippered bag filled with hand sanitizer, then zip the bag shut and dispose of it properly.

  • Inspect your trees and plants for signs of this pest, particularly at dusk and at night when the insects tend to gather in large groups on the trunks or stems of plants.

  • Inspect trees (in particular, tree of heaven), bricks, stone, and other smooth surfaces for egg masses.

  • Visit “Where’s the Threat and How to Report” for instruction on how to report a sighting if you find spotted lanternflies outside of quarantine areas.

 

What's at Risk from the Spotted Lanternfly:


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