Parts of Valley among quarantine zone for spotted lanternfly

Mary Jo R. Gibson

Early instar nymphs of spotted lanternflies have hatched in our area.

A spotted lanternfly is a beautiful planthopper that causes worry within the quarantine zone of fifty-one counties throughout Pennsylvania. This quarantine list already includes Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, and Schuylkill Counties. In addition, thirteen other states in the northeast have populations of this pest. We must monitor our properties. We must not transport the spotted lanternfly as egg masses, nymphs, or adults.

The native range of Lycorma delicatula includes parts of Asia. This insect's eggs were accidentally introduced into Berks County in 2012.

The adult planthopper is about an inch long with black-speckled gray wings held over its back like a tent. Its underwings have bright red and black patches. The adults hop well and easily fly from plant to plant.

Usually, the putty-colored egg masses laid in late September hatch in early to mid-May. As the nymphs feed on plant stems, they grow and molt. Each stage is a little larger, as is its piercing mouth part. There are four stages to the non-flying nymphs, which can crawl and hop.

The first three stages are black with white dots. The fourth instar is a beautiful red and black insect with white speckles. As the insect grows, it feeds on plant juices in larger stems and branches. As an adult, it easily pierces bark on tree trunks to feed on the sugary sap in the phloem. Unlike the brown marmorated stink bug, a spotted lanternfly does not feed on the fruits of plants.

When a spotted lanternfly leaves a feeding site, the wound may weep a bit. Like other phloem feeders, a good amount of the sugary liquid is excreted as a waste product called honeydew. This honeydew makes a mess for residents, but it also attracts yellow jackets and sometimes bees.

As the waste falls onto plant leaves, bacteria, and fungi grow "sooty mold," preventing the plant from photosynthesizing well. The spotted lanternfly is a triple threat: it feeds on plant sap, sap oozes from wounds, and plant leaves cannot easily make more food.

We know the lanternfly feeds on over one hundred plant species. Favorites include fruit trees, grapes, hops, black walnut, and the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima). The tree of heaven was introduced from Asia as a shade tree. In the early 1800s, no one knew how difficult it would be to manage. Tree of Heaven readily spreads by both suckering and seeds. Unfortunately, common herbicides do not control it easily.

Researchers are developing methods to manage the lanternfly. We’ve learned that a tiny parasitic wasp introduced to control the spongy moth, Lymantria dispar, (formerly called gypsy moth), also manages this bug. We’re testing a native fungus that impacts spotted lanternflies. We know the lanternfly prefers the tree of heaven as a primary host plant, but feeding on the tree of heaven is not essential.

While nothing will prevent spotted lanternflies from entering your property, remember that they do not kill trees, but they are plant stressors. Irrigation restores wilted plants. Spotted lanternflies do not bite or sting. They do not eat structures. They do not nest in your house. They do not carry human pathogens.

Make sure items around your home are pest-free before moving them. You should also check your vehicle for lanternflies before leaving a quarantined area. The more we can slow the spread of this insect, the more time researchers will have to learn how to manage it.

Put "spotted lanternfly Penn State" into your favorite search engine for more information. If you see any spotted lanternfly stage outside the quarantined counties, report the location online at https://extension.psu.edu/have-you-seen-a-spotted-lanternfly or telephone the SLF Hotline at 1-888-4BAD-FLY during business hours.

Mary Jo R. Gibson