MD’s Fight Against Spotted Lanternfly Destruction Starts Now

MARYLAND — As you pick up your yard this spring, be on the lookout for spotted lanternfly egg masses, an effective way to slow the spread in Maryland of this destructive plant hopper that Agriculture Department officials say poses a serious threat to the nation’s grape, orchard and logging industries.

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

On Monday, the Maryland Department of Agriculture expanded its spotted lanternfly quarantine to include a total of 17 counties and the city of Baltimore. Those jurisdictions are: Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, Washington and Wicomico counties, as well as Baltimore City.

The quarantine is effective immediately, and restricts the movement of regulated materials that might contain the spotted lanternfly in any of its life stages, including egg masses, nymphs, and adults. Regulated articles under the quarantine order include landscaping, remodeling, or construction waste; packing materials like wood boxes or crates; plants and plant parts; vehicles; and other outdoor items.

“The spotted lanternfly continues to be a destructive invasive species that has negatively impacted agriculture operations throughout the mid-Atlantic region,” said MDA Secretary Kevin Atticks in a news release. “The department continues to take steps to expand the quarantine zone out of an abundance of caution as we remain vigilant in controlling the spread of this destructive insect.”

• Related: Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine Expands To 17 MD Counties, Baltimore

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 Maryland Department of Agriculture through the online survey. 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.