Spotted Lanternflies Back With A Vengeance, Expert Says: What To Know In VA

VIRGINIA — Spotted lanternflies are back with a vengeance in the parts of Virginia this year, but there's good news. A decline in the pest's population could be on its way.

The spotted lanternfly, an invasive species native to eastern Asia, was first found in Virginia in 2018 in Frederick County. It has since spread to Albemarle, Augusta, Carroll, Clarke, Page, Prince William, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Warren and Wythe Counties, as well as the cities of Buena Vista, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Lynchburg, Manassas, Manassas Park, Staunton, Waynesboro and Winchester.

Adult insects have polka-dotted forewings and bold red underwings, giving them a distinctive appearance. Although it has the allure of a butterfly, the insect’s looks are deceiving.

Voracious eaters, spotted lanternflies feed on about 100 plant and tree species, including economically important crops such as grapevines, apple orchards, hops ornamental landscape plants, along with multiple tree species.

In an interview with WBAL, Michael "The Bug Guy" Raupp, professor emeritus of entomology at the University of Maryland, said areas in the Baltimore-DC region that didn't see the pest much last year are now overwhelmed.

"No. 1, they've been around. No. 2, they're more widely distributed throughout the state now and in areas where there were just a few, like my neighborhood in Columbia (Maryland). Populations have exploded because there's simply more in those landscapes," Raupp told WBAL.

While feeding on plants, spotted lanternflies secrete a liquid known as honeydew. The liquid can develop an intense, rotten odor as it ferments and causes black, sooty mold, which can cover leaves and inhibit photosynthesis. Sooty mold can also cover manmade structures and be difficult to remove.

While spotted lanternflies won't bite humans or pets, Raupp said they may attract stinging insects like bees, yellow jackets, wasps and hornets.

Despite a boom in populations, a decline in the prevalence may be on its way, Raupp said in a separate interview with WTOP. The reason? They're a tasty snack for birds and other predators.

“What happens is the prey population increases, and then the predator populations will take a few years to increase behind that, but once they’re there, we’ll see dramatic reductions in those prey populations. In this case, the spotted lanternfly or the brown marmorated stink bug,” Raupp said.

Experts often urge people who see spotted lanternflies to destroy them. Contact insecticides may be used to control adults because many of them feed on the lower parts of trees where they are more visible and easier to reach with direct sprays.

Meanwhile, properly applied systemic insecticides can provide months of control by continuing to kill adults as they arrive.

In Virginia, the Department of Agriculture issued a quarantine for the counties and cities where the spotted lanternfly is present. The purpose of the quarantine is to stop the spread of the pest to other counties.

A quarantine means that any businesses in the affected counties are required to get a permit from the state to move items including lanternflies, dead or live trees, outdoor construction or industrial materials, outdoor household items, and more.

Spotted lanternfly sightings outside of the quarantine area should be reported to the state through this online form.