Spotted Lanternfly
The spotted lanternfly (SLF) was detected in Virginia in January 2018. It is an invasive planthopper that was discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014. In Pennsylvania and its native range, SLF is a pest of grapes, peaches, hops, and apples. It is commonly associated with tree-of-heaven,
Ailanthus altissima. It has the potential to be a serious pest of agriculture and home gardens in Virginia.
Signs of Infestation
Signs and symptoms of the spotted lanterfly include:
- muddy-grey egg masses on or around host trees until eggs hatch in late spring;
- dark streaks or sap flowing down the bark of the tree resulting from the spotted lanternfly piercing the bark to access phloem and sap in order to feed;
- honeydew secretions (insect secretions) at the base of a host tree that can become covered in a sooty-coloured mold; and,
- increased bee and wasp activity due to exposed sap and honeydew adult insects congregating on host trees (especially Ailanthus altissima) in the fall.
Do you think you’ve identified a spotted lanternfly?
If you think that you have found a spotted lanternfly, you can take a specimen to your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office (
https://ext.vt.edu/offices.html).
To learn how to identify spotted lanternfly, visit Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Spotted Lanternfly page:
ext.vt.edu/spotted-lanternfly.