Where Are Lantern Flies From?

The invasive spotted lanternfly feeds on over 70 species of plant. The pest’s diet can cause great damage to plants, especially crops that are economically important to humans. The flies also leave a large amount of honeydew, which can attract other pests and encourage plant disease. They lay their eggs on a variety of surfaces, including trees, shrubs, and other living things.

While the spotted lanternfly is native to parts of southeast Asia, it was first found in Pennsylvania in September 2014. The flies have now spread to New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. Although they have yet to cause serious damage in human areas, they are considered a serious threat to agriculture and must be controlled.

As their name implies, these flies can be a problem in wineries. Wineries are at risk of losing millions of dollars. While quarantines are being put in place to prevent them from spreading, eradication is not yet possible. There are few predators and parasites that can control these flies. But they can be killed by placing sticky traps on trees. Be sure to place a screen layer over these traps to prevent trapping other animals.

The spotted lanternfly is a planthopper that hatches from eggs laid by other insects. These insects have black wings with white spots and are about an inch long. They are a nuisance, so killing them can help prevent further damage to crops.