Spotted Lanternfly In Virginia: Quarantines, Timing Of Life Cycle

VIRGINIA — Residents are asked to be on the lookout for the invasive spotted lanternfly as the pest was found in Loudoun County and a quarantine was expanded to more Virginia localities.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service issued a quarantine for impacted Virginia localities to slow the spread of the invasive insect. Originally, the quarantine was issued for Clarke, Frederick, and Warren counties and the city of Winchester; those areas are now considered heavily infested. 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.

Background on Spotted Lanternfly

The spotted lanternfly originates from China, India, and Vietnam. In September 2014, it was first located in the U.S. in Pennsylvania. In the U.S., the lanternfly has become invasive, as it has no established natural predators, parasites, and pathogens, and it feeds on over 70 plant species.

While the spotted lanternfly's preferred host is the tree-of-heaven, it particularly threatens Virginia's peach, apple, grape, and wine industries. The spotted lanternfly was first detected in Frederick County, Virginia, on Jan. 10, 2018, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service.

Lanternflies damage host plants in two ways, according to Dr. Michael Raupp, insect specialist with the University of Maryland Extension, also known as "The Bug Guy" for his popular "Bug of the Week" blog. Adults deposit eggs on a host plant and when the nymphs emerge, they insert their sucking beaks into leaves and stems and feed on the tissue, robbing the plant of valuable nutrients.

During feeding they produce large quantities of waste, called "honeydew" because of its rich sugar content. The honeydew serves as a base for growth of a sooty mold that impairs photosynthesis and disfigures fruit and leaves.

"Lanternflies are lethal to vineyards," noted Raupp. "While an infestation won't kill trees, they can become a real nuisance. The honeydew, with its high sugar content, attracts stinging insects like wasps and honeybees."

Identifying spotted lanternflies

In the adult stage, lanternflies are about 1 inch long with gray forewings and black dots. The hind wings have red patches, black spots and a white band. Lanternflies that haven't matured are black with white spots, develop red patches when maturing, do not have wings and are smaller.

Nymphs are typically found from April to mid-summer, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. In July, nymphs' fourth and final stage before adulthood begins.

Adult spotted lanternflies, meanwhile, can be seen from July until November, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Adults begin to lay eggs in September, and the eggs remain through the winter. Egg masses start with a shiny gray appearance but turn into a dull brownish gray. Egg masses are covered in a light gray colored wax that looks like mud when dry.

Images of the lanternfly's different life stages are available here.

What to do about spotted lanternflies

Ways to get rid of spotted lanternflies will depend on the time of year. Adults begin laying eggs in September and through the first frosts. From October to July, egg masses can be scraped from items or trees into containers of rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. Affected tree trunks should be covered with adhesive bands.

Treat for immature spotted lanternflies from May through July with Carbaryl, bifenthrin, and pyrethrins pesticides. Destroy any egg masses you find, the Extension Service says.

From mid-May to August, insecticide is permitted on the tree-of-heaven, the primary food for spotted lanternflies. During the rest of the year, effective methods may include stump treatments, hack and squirt treatments, foliar sprays, basal bark sprays, and tree-of-heaven treatments.

While spotted lanternflies don't harm animals or humans, they can reduce the quality of life for people in heavily infested areas, which is why state officials want people to stomp out spotted lanternflies they see. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services encourages anyone who sees a spotted lanternfly to kill it.

Because the lanternflies are widespread in the City of Winchester, and Frederick, Clarke and Warren Counties, sightings don't have to be reported in those localities. In other Virginia localities, residents are encouraged to take a picture, collect a sample and contact their local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.

The spotted lanternfly is a "hitchhiker," so it can easily travel when nobody's looking. That's why the Virginia's agriculture department advises people in quarantine zones to check:

• Live or dead trees; nursery stock; green lumber; firewood; logs; perennial plants; garden plants or produce; stumps; branches; mulch; or composted or un-composted chips, bark, or yard waste
• Outdoor industrial or construction materials or equipment; concrete barriers or structures; stone, quarry material, ornamental stone, or concrete; or construction, landscaping, or remodeling waste
• Shipping containers like wood crates or boxes
• Outdoor household articles, including recreational vehicles; lawn tractors or mowers; grills; grill or furniture covers; tarps; mobile homes; tile; stone; deck boards
• Equipment, trucks, or vehicles not stored indoors; any means of conveyance used for movement of an article; any vehicle; or any trailer, wagon