Spotted Lanternfly Invasion Spreads: How To Stop The Pest In VA

VIRGINIA — Invasive spotted lanternflies, first discovered eight years ago in Pennsylvania and expanding its territory in Virginia, 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.

But Virginia still plays an important role in stopping the pest, which can seriously damage peaches, grapes, hops and other crops.

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, file a report with state officials. 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.

The spotted lanternfly was first detected in Frederick County, Virginia, on Jan. 10, 2018, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service.

Clarke, Frederick, and Warren counties and the city of Winchester are heavily infested with spotted lanternfly, and authorities no longer need reports from those areas, which the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service put under a quarantine.

Anyone who finds spotted lanternfly outside of these areas is asked report the finding to their local Virginia Cooperative Extension Office.

In 2022, the quarantine was expanded to the counties of Albemarle, Augusta, Carroll, Page, Prince William, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah and Wythe, as well as the cities of Buena Vista, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Lynchburg, Manassas, Manassas Park, Staunton and Waynesboro.

A quarantine means businesses have to have regulated items leaving the quarantine area inspected to check for spotted lanternflies.

Fairfax County, which is not in the quarantine area and has not reported any sightings, asked residents to look out for spotted lanternflies. Residents are especially encouraged to avoid moving spotted lanternflies when traveling through infested areas. Spotted lanternfly sightings in Fairfax County can be reported to ReportSLF@fairfaxcounty.gov or 703-324-5304.

Loudoun County, where spotted lanternflies have been detected, encourages residents to inspect outdoor surroundings like tree trunks, vehicles and lawn furniture and report a photo of spotted lanternflies or egg masses through an online form.

Adult spotted lanternflies, meanwhile, can be seen from July until December, according to agriculture experts. They lay egg masses from September through December.

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.

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.

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.

Some plants that are at risk: grape, peaches, hops and other crops, along with tree varieties including black walnut, red maple, silver maple, eastern white pine, weeping willow, black willow, black cherry, sycamore. Tree of heaven is the primary host for spotted lanternfly.