7 Reports Of Invasive Spotted Lanternfly In Washington Heights

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — If you come across an eye-catching insect with reddish wings and black spots in Washington Heights this week, there's one thing you should do, according to local authorities.

Kill it.

That bug is the spotted lanternfly, a highly invasive species whose arrival in New York City could spell doom for the area's forests and crops. Native to Asia, it first appeared in the U.S. in 2014, before being spotted in Staten Island last summer.

In recent weeks, sightings have jumped across the city, including in Washington Heights.

On the iNaturalist website, New Yorkers have documented over 200 lanternfly sightings this year, including more than half a dozen in Washington Heights from July 4 to Aug. 18. Six of the seven sightings have come in August.

Here are the locations of those reported spottings:

• Cabrini Boulevard and West 190th Street: July 4
• 349 Cabrini Boulevard: Aug. 8
• In Highbridge Park, near West 193rd Street: Aug. 4
• Fort Washington Avenue Between West 176th and West 177th Streets: Aug. 9
• Three sightings between Riverside Drive and Henry Hudson Parkway from West 151st to West 153rd Streets: Aug. 14-18

A user on iNaturalist, who writes in his bio that he works at the American Museum of Natural History, recorded a pair of spotted lanternfly sightings on Wednesday in the Heights.

"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 Parks Department said in a notice.

Besides the bugs themselves, New Yorkers should look for their inch-long, waxy, brownish-gray egg masses, which can be scraped off of trees and rocks, then frozen and disposed of.

We're sounding the alert on the SPOTTED LANTERNFLY after a recent surge in Manhattan observations on @inaturalist—over 30 in just the last week. This invasive planthopper destroys plants and trees, but does not hurt humans. Kill it by swatting or squashing. pic.twitter.com/9YyIuTjMBu
— Manhattan Bird Alert (@BirdCentralPark) August 15, 2021

Spotted lanternflies don't kill trees directly — they feed on the sap of more than 70 plant species, causing the plants stress that can make them more vulnerable to disease. The insects also excrete a sticky "honeydew," attracting mold that can interfere with photosynthesis.

If they keep spreading, the lanternflies could threaten New York's valuable apple and grape industries, as well as hops, maple and timber.

And we bear some complicity for the infestation: lanternflies spread mostly through human activity, laying their eggs on objects like firewood, stone and outdoor furniture that are taken from place to place.

If you see a spotted lanternfly, report it to the Parks Department — and, if you wish, email a photo to gus.saltonstall@patch.com.

Patch reporter Nick Garber contributed to this report.