What To Do If You See Spotted Lanternflies In Camden County

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ — Camden County officials are asking residents to report any sightings of the Spotted Lanternfly around the county as the invasive crop-eating insect’s egg-laying season begins.

Spotted Lanternflies are known to destroy fruit trees, grapevines, and other agricultural crops. Officials said they need the public’s help identifying and destroying their eggs so they can limit next year’s population.

They typically lay their eggs lay their eggs on smooth surfaces, appearing similar to a patch of mud, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Egg masses stay in this stage all winter. In many cases, they are accidentally moved from one location to another. It is believed that they have been accidentally transported from Pennsylvania to New Jersey.

Residents are advised to check outdoor items for egg masses, including those which may be brought indoors, and to check their cars before returning to New Jersey from Pennsylvania.

Egg masses are typically about 1-1.5 inches long and covered with a gray or yellowish-brown, waxy coating. Each egg mass may contain 30 to 50 eggs that will hatch from late April to early May.

Residents can destroy the egg masses by scraping the mass into a plastic zippered bag filled with hand sanitizer, then zipping the bag shut and disposing of it properly.

“Although the spotted lanternfly has reached Camden County, we can still take steps to reduce its impact and the size of the population moving forward,” Camden County Freeholder Jeff Nash said. “If you spot an SLF egg mass, please take the necessary steps to safely destroy and dispose of it. By destroying SLF egg masses, you are helping to control the population of an invasive species that could otherwise wreak havoc on South Jersey’s agricultural economy.”

Spotted lanternflies are not known to bite, sting, or attack people, pets or livestock, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. It is not known whether they are poisonous when ingested by humans or animals. The pest is primarily a threat to agriculture including many fruit and crops.

For more information on the Spotted Lanternfly, refer to the Rutgers NJAES website, https://njaes.rutgers.edu/spotted-lanternfly/, and the NJDA website.