If you keep up with the news, you’ve probably heard some buzz about spotted lanternfly. This invasive insect was first seen in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has since spread to 15 states, most recently to North Carolina, where it was detected in 2022. Spotted lanternfly has not been observed yet in Georgia, but entomologists and residents alike are keeping their eyes open.
What is Spotted Lanternfly?
Despite its name, spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula; “SLF”) is a true bug (order Hemiptera) rather than a fly (order Diptera). It is a large planthopper – a type of insect related to aphids, cicadas, stink bugs and more, that uses its needle-like mouthparts to pierce plant tissues and suck out cell contents and sap. Spotted lanternfly can feed on over 100 different types of plants, including native species like beech, birch, black gum, maples, oaks, and sycamore, as well as food crops like grapes, apples, peaches, and plums. Its favorite host plant is tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), an invasive tree that grows across the Southeast, including in Georgia.
Feeding by SLF causes aesthetic damage and also stresses plants, making them more susceptible to diseases and environmental pressures. Spotted lanternflies aggregate in large groups as adults and are considered “swarm feeders.” Feeding by a large group of SLF can cause wilting and dieback on plants and trees. And it’s just a nuisance to have a large group of feeding insects swarming in your landscape! Just like aphids, lanternflies produce sugary excrement called honeydew. When honeydew builds up on plants, it acts like a petri dish for sooty mold to grow.
The damage caused by SLF is likely to affect farmers, plant nurseries, landscapers, and residential gardeners in many ways. Farmers, nurseries, and landscapers will have to spray more insecticides and spend more on labor to manage this new pest. Any producers who transport plants across state lines – a common practice – will have to expend significant resources making sure their cargo are completely free of SLF eggs, nymphs, and adults. (Note: there is currently no federal or Georgia state SLF quarantine, but SLF quarantines have been put in place by some state Departments of Agriculture and restrictions may vary among states.)
A preliminary study (2019) by Penn State University found significant economic effects following SLF’s introduction in Pennsylvania alone:
In the quarantine zone, damage is currently estimated to be $50.1 million per year with a loss of 484 jobs. A worst-case scenario increases these damages to $92.8 million per year with a loss of 927 jobs. If it spreads throughout Pennsylvania, damages could reach as high as $554 million, with a loss of 4,987 jobs.
Assessing Economic Impact, Penn State University College of Agricultural Sciences
What to Look For
Spotted lanternflies have several life stages: egg, four nymphal (juvenile) molts, and adult. To correctly identify SLF, we need to know what they look like at each life stage.
Eggs
They ride out the winter as eggs, grouped together in masses on any hard surface, including plastic, wood, and metal. According to Cornell University Extension, “The egg masses are often found on the underside of branches or objects and vary in size, but are typically about 1 1/2″ long and and 3/4″ wide and look like grayish splotches of mud or putty.”
Nymphs
Nymphs hatch from the egg masses in spring or early summer. The young nymphs (molts 1-3) are less than ¼” long and have black bodies with small, white spots. At their 4th molt, the final nymph stage can be up to ½” long. They are still black with white spots but now have a red wash across their backs with a vertical black line down the center.
Adults
By late July, SLF complete one final molt to the adult stage. Adult SLF are about 1″ long and ½” wide. They have wings at the adult stage, which they hold tent-like over their backs. The front wings, which are visible when adults have their wings closed, are grayish-tan with black/brown spots. They may even have a purplish sheen. The tips of the front wings have a brownish speckled pattern.
The hind wings – only visible when the adults spread their wings open – have brown tips, a white section in the middle, and a flash of scarlet on the inside corner. The body of the insect is yellow with brown/black bars.
How to Report a Sighting
The earlier an invasive pest like SLF is detected, the better state and federal agencies, homeowners, and producers will be able to manage it and control its spread. Do your part and keep your eyes open for SLF!
If you suspect you have seen a spotted lanternfly, take a good photo and contact your local Extension office to report your sighting. You can also report suspected populations of spotted lanternfly or tree-of-heaven via the EDDMapS website or EDDMapS app. These reports go to directly to the GFC Forest Health Coordinator, UGA entomologists, USDA-APHIS, and other programs for evaluation.