Town Of Shrewsbury: Spotted Lanternfly Population Detected In Shrewsbury

Press release from the Town of Shrewsbury:

January 20, 2022

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) announced that a small stand of trees was found to be infested in Shrewsbury, MA (Worcester County) with the invasive spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula; SLF) earlier in January by MDAR surveyors. This is the second detection of a population of this insect in Massachusetts, following confirmation of SLF in the city of Fitchburg, MA in 2021. For a map of these locations, please visit: https://massnrc.org/pests/linkeddocuments/SLF_Detections_Map.jpg 

What to do Now?Remain vigilant and report any suspected spotted lanternfly in Massachusetts to: https://massnrc.org/pests/slfreport.aspx

Now is the time to search for spotted lanternfly egg masses (see image below), which are the overwintering life stage of this insect. Egg masses can be found on almost any flat surface - not only host plants - but also outdoor furniture, fencing, stone, recreational vehicles, and a multitude of other items.

This image of egg masses is from an existing population in New Haven County, CT, not the population recently detected in Shrewsbury, MA and is provided for identification purposes. (Photo: T. Simisky) 

For images of all of the life stages of the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), including egg masses, please visit: https://massnrc.org/pests/linkeddocuments/SLFChecklistForResidents.pdf

For More Information:

From UMass Extension

• UMass Spotted Lanternfly Factsheet

From the MA Department of Agricultural Resources

• MDAR Spotted Lanternfly Factsheet
• Nursery Best Management Practices 
• Best Practices for Businesses
• Checklist for Residents in or Near Infested Areas
• Driver's Checklist in English or Spanish
• Moving Industry Checklist

This press release was produced by the Town of Shrewsbury. The views expressed here are the author’s own.