Young Spotted Lanternfly Nymphs Spark New Discussion in New Jersey

NORTH JERSEY — While New Jerseyans are used to stomping the invasive spotted lanternfly insect, following an awareness campaign that began in 2021, they have expressed confusion after seeing the bugs in their younger, more spidery form this summer.

"That's not their adult stage," wrote a Hudson County resident last week on NextDoor, after a neighbor posted photos of the creatures in their nymph stage. "I thought it was a spider. It was fast."

Now that people are on guard for the lanternflies, people are asking questions about them.

"This is the time of the year when you will start seeing spotted lantern bug nymphs," wrote a New Jersey-based photographer on July 2. "They have no natural predators in New Jersey and you should kill them if you see them. They are very small. I started noticing them a few days ago."

"Is anyone having issues with the Spotted Lantern Fly?" posted a New Jersey woman in a Creative Gardening group earlier this month. "This is the 1st year I am seeing them at my house, currently in nymph stage. I am in Central New Jersey. What are you doing about them?" When someone told her to kill them, she replied, "Those nymph bugs JUMP they are hard to get."

Why Now?

Jeff Wolfe, a spokesman for the state Department of Agriculture, said, "It’s difficult to say if there are more of them or not this year. There may be more people aware of them now, so they are noticing them more."

He added, "Yes, we ask that they stomp on them when they can, and to check their vehicles before leaving to try and keep the spotted lanternflies from hitchhiking as they can travel for many miles on almost any kind of transportation."

"They are strong jumpers to avoid capture or predators," explained the Department in a recent release, about their nymph stage. "They appear in this stage beginning in May through July."

The adult spotted lanternflies will begin laying their eggs sometime in late August or early September, and the adults will live until the first hard freeze in the winter kills them off Wolfe said.

In the U.S., the bugs were first spotted in Berks County, Pa., in 2014, then spread quickly.

The state advises killing them because they can destroy more than 70 valuable fruits and crops.

Wolfe said there has been no measurable damage so far this season.

Check Your Yard, Check Your Car

Many other New Jerseyans have posted on social media in July to ask about the spider-like form of the creature, and what to do about it. Officials have tried to increase awareness.

"They are invasive, significantly impacting agricultural crops and hardwoord trees," posted the town of Randolph two weeks ago. "The NJ Dept of Agriculture requests all 'Join the battle. Beat the bug. Stomp it out!'"

Wolfe said, "There are homeowner and business resources at www.badbug.nj.gov,which include treatment options if they find a spotted lanternfly on their property. The spotted lanternfly does not harm humans or animals, but it can feed on more than 70 different types of vegetation. While we have about 20 crews that concentrate their treatments at transportation hubs, we are unable to come out and check every residence.

"We are still have reimbursement treatment funding available for counties and municipalities and that information is at https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/news/hottopics/approved/topics220413.html

Find out more at badbug.com.