Invasive Spotted Lanternfly Found In Monroe County

MONROE COUNTY, MI — A spotted lanternfly was found in Monroe County last week, making it the second time the invasive insect has been found in Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The small population of juvenile spotted lanternfly was detected on June 17 in Lambertville, which sits along the Ohio border, according to officials.

Michigan officials first found the spotted lanternfly in Oakland County in the summer of 2022.

"The infestation was detected through spotted lanternfly monitoring traps deployed by Michigan State University, as part of collaborative survey initiatives with MSU, MDARD, and the USDA," the department's Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division Director Steve Carlson said. "This work is a critical component of our ongoing efforts to identify and limit the spread of spotted lanternfly in Michigan."

Officials urged Michiganders to squish spotted lanternflies, which are plant-eating pests. Officials said the pests can feed on over 70 different plants including grape vines and fruit trees. Officials also encouraged people take a photo of it and report it online.

An adult female can lay a couple of egg masses, each containing 30 to 60 eggs, allowing populations to grow exponentially, so it’s important to kill them before they can establish another generation of the pests.

The agricultural department recommends a number of tips to prevent the spread.

• Check your vehicle's doors, sides, bumpers, wheel wells, grills, and roofs. Destroy any eggs or insects you find.
• Park with windows closed.
• Remove and destroy pests: Crush nymphs and adult insects. Scrape egg masses into a plastic bag containing hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol to kill them.
• Report sightings with photos to the state's Eyes in the Field.

The spotted lanternfly, which showed up in Pennsylvania in 2014, spreads much more quickly than other invasives. It only took a decade for it to spread to 17 states.

By comparison, it took almost 100 years for the invasive spongy moth to spread from Massachusetts and New York, Matthew Gallo of the Finger Lakes chapter of the Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management told the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.