PA's Defense Against Spotted Lanternfly Destruction Begins Now

PENNSYLVANIA — During spring lawn cleanup, keep your eyes out for spotted lanternfly egg masses, an effective way to slow the spread in Pennsylvania of this pretty but destructive plant hopper that Agriculture Department officials say poses a serious threat to the nation’s grape, orchard and logging industries.

The bug, first spotted in the US in Berks County, feeds on sap from hardwood trees and crops. This puts extra stress on the plants and can even cause them to die, according to agricultural researchers.

Established spotted lanternfly populations were recorded last year in 14 states, including Pennsylvania, but also Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Virginia and West Virginia.

Pennsylvania added six counties to its spotted lantern fly quarantine list for 2023, bringing the total to 51 of 67 counties. The quarantine was established to regulate the movement of the insects and items that may harbor them (i.e. logs, firewood, outdoor equipment, and packing materials). Also, all businesses that operate in or travel through quarantine areas must obtain a spotted lanternfly permit.

The PA Department of Agriculture notes the lanternfly impacts industries that contribute billions of dollars annually to the state economy: the viticulture (grape), fruit tree, plant nursery and timber industries.

"A 2019 economic impact study estimates that, uncontrolled, this insect could cost the state $324 million annually and more than 2,800 jobs," the ag department added.

Spotted lanternflies also excrete sugary honeydew as waste, which builds up on surfaces and attracts bees, wasps, and other insects. The waste build-up also leads to sooty mold and black-colored fungi growing on the plant, said experts.

Other states, including New Jersey, are also expanding spotted lanternfly quarantine areas with expected exploding populations.

Most states are at risk because spotted lanternfly populations move around easily, according to the USDA. Besides the trees they feed on, their preferred places to lay their mud-like egg masses, which can contain as many as 50 eggs, are surfaces on movable objects such as bicycles, lawnmowers, grills and the family car.

Removing and destroying egg masses now before hungry nymphs emerge is the best defense against their spread, ag officials say. The insects are at their most destructive at that point, feeding on more than 100 varieties of fruit, ornamental and woody trees, as well as vines, vegetables, herbs and grains. Areas with substantial grape industries are worried because a spotted lanternfly infestation can not only reduce yield, but lower the sugar in remaining grapes.

Here’s what to look for:

By now, egg masses will have faded from glossy white to gray or brown, and they’re about an inch and a half long. If you find an egg mass:

Take a picture and report it to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Scrape off egg masses, put them in a plastic zippered bag filled with hand sanitizer, then zip the bag and dispose of it in the garbage.

In a widespread population control effort, people in areas with infestations were encouraged to squish adult lantern flies — before they deposited their egg masses — wherever they encountered them.

“Harming our city's wildlife is prohibited, but in an effort to slow the spread of this troublesome species, we are putting out a one-time call: If you see a spotted lanternfly, please squish and dispose of this invasive pest,” the New York City Parks Department said last August.

Last year, ag officials said spotted lanternflies were moving westward into the central United States, with new reports filed in Iowa, Michigan and North Carolina. Reports were also filed in Kansas in 2021. States farther west, including Utah, California and Oregon, have observed dead lanternflies, though it’s unclear if the plant hoppers naturally migrated there, or hitched a ride with humans.