Spotted Lanternfly: What To Do If You See One In New York

NEW YORK — Invasive spotted lanternflies, first discovered eight years ago in Pennsylvania and confirmed in New York, appear to be moving westward into the central United States, with new reports filed with the state agriculture departments this year in Iowa and Michigan.

Spotted lanternflies were confirmed in Kansas in 2021 and in North Carolina earlier this year. 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.

Even in states where infestations or dead lanternflies haven’t been found, landscapers and gardeners are wise to keep an eye on them. They move quickly, jumping from plant to plant, and hitching a ride as products like landscaping plants, firewood and other products move across the country.

If you find a spotted lanternfly, snap a photo, file a report with state officials and then kill the bug. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says most states are at risk, and timely reports are the best way to eradicate the insects before they become even more invasive.

In New York, spotted lanternflies have been reported. As of Aug. 8, according to Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, infestations have been reported in Ulster, Orange, Rockland, Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk, Broome and Tompkins counties and in New York City. There have been sightings in other upstate counties including Albany and Delaware counties.

Also on the list of invasive species seen in New York include the Asian Longhorned Beetle, Emerald Ash Borer and European Gyspy Moth.

Spotted lanternflies have a three-stage lifecycle. They’re prolific breeders and lay masses of 30 to 50 eggs in once place. The eggs are covered with a waxy, mud-colored substance called an ootheca that dries and cracks, an effective camouflage. They overwinter as eggs, go through four nymphal development stages (instars) and an adult stage.

Right now, spotted lanternflies are in their adult stage.

The Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences notes that while many photos show them with their wings unfolded, exposing their red-spotted underwings, that only happens when they’re ready to take flight. It’s more common to see adults resting with their black-spotted, pinkish-tan wings folded over their backs. When females are carrying eggs, their abdomens swell to the point they can barely fly.

If you see them, trap them, take a photo, send in a report, and then kill the bugs.

New Jersey Patch collaborated with Duke Farms environmental experts to show readers how to make do-it-yourself lanternfly traps. (See the 11-minute step-by-step video below.)

You’ll need:

• 2 plastic 1-gallon milk or water jugs that can be cut with scissors
• 2 one-half-inch thick rubber bands
• 1 22-inch-long piece of 16-gauge metal wire
• 1 24-inch-by-36-inch plastic coated screen, such as a window screen replacement
• 1 2.5-gallon Ziplock bag
• 1 6-inch long piece of all-weather tape
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• All-natural string or twine

Here are more things to know about spotted lanternflies:

The plant hoppers aren’t picky eaters as nymphs, 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.

Adult spotted lanternflies are a bit more finicky, preferring another invasive species, tree of heaven, and also grape vines. Last year, agriculture officials in California imposed a quarantine on some products coming from areas where spotted lanternfly infestations have been reported.

Although lanternflies usually do not kill plants, they suck out sugars that significantly weaken their hosts and leave behind massive amounts of honeydew — that is, excrement — which is typical of the true bug order Hemiptera.

The honeydew can attract other insects, including wasps, ants and bees, and also cause a sooty mold to grow on the plant, interfering with its ability to photosynthesize and create the energy it needs to survive and grow.

Spotted lanternflies also are a “huge public nuisance,” according to Kelly Oten, an expert on the insects at the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University.

“They aggregate in large numbers and have been known to swarm restaurant doors, enter local businesses, fly up people’s shirts, and amass on outdoor furniture, toys and trees,” Oten said after the insects were confirmed in North Carolina. “Everyone will know and loathe this insect.”