An outbreak of crop-damaging spotted lanternflies is continuing to spread across the US, prompting experts to warn that the invasive insects may be “here to stay.”
The pests have been reported in 22 states across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Great Lakes regions. In many of those states, residents are being encouraged to kill spotted lanternflies whenever they see them.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has issued a blunt message to the public: “Kill it. Squash it, smash it. Just get rid of it.”
The warning is driven by the insects’ habit of feeding on the sap of more than 70 plant species. Wine-producing grapevines are particularly vulnerable to spotted lanternfly infestations.
Large numbers of the insects can place plants under severe stress and lead to significant crop losses, posing a serious threat to vineyards and grape production.
Spotted lanternflies are native to parts of Asia, including China, Vietnam and India. They are believed to have arrived in the US about a decade ago aboard cargo ships carrying imported goods, such as wooden furniture and plants.
The insects were first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014. Since then, their population has surged, with Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and the New York City metropolitan area now heavily affected.
Reports have also reached as far south as the Carolinas, Georgia and Tennessee, and as far west as Chicago, Illinois, and Des Moines, Iowa.
Spotted lanternflies have been reported in 22 states across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Great Lakes regions, leading many states to urge residents to kill the pests on sight.
Cornell University’s Integrated Pest Management map shows the 22 states where spotted lanternflies have been found or reported.
Adult spotted lanternflies do not survive the winter, as hard freezes kill them.
However, Julie Urban, an associate research professor of entomology at Penn State University, told AccuWeather that it could take months for temperatures to begin reducing populations of the invasive and destructive species.
If fall stays mild this year, adults will keep feeding and laying eggs into November or even December.
Moreover, the eggs of the spotted lanternfly do live through winter. They are visible on trees which look like they have smears of white, gray or brown mud on their branches or trunks.
Early forecasts for the 2026-27 winter have predicted that many of the states currently battling the destructive Asian insect will likely see much less snow than they normally do.
This includes milder weather in New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan – all areas which have reported spotted lanternfly infestations this year.
According to Cornell University’s Integrated Pest Management program, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia and West Virginia have also been invaded by the insects.
‘They’re here to stay,’ Urban said in a statement. ‘Despite population crashes, the lanternflies haven’t disappeared.’
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The insects do more than just destroy dozens of different types of trees and plants. It dumps sticky, honeydew-like substance that grows black sooty mold on leaves, decks, cars and patio furniture.
Their eggs also hitchhike across the US, as egg masses stick to vehicles, firewood, outdoor furniture, stone and shipping materials, meaning Americans can accidentally bring them to brand new regions of the country when they move or travel.
Officials in New Jersey urged in an official state release: ‘If you see a Spotted Lanternfly, help us Stomp it Out! Crush nymphs and adult insects.’
New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation is not interested in preserving these creatures either, adding on Facebook: ‘Kill it immediately by stepping on it or crushing it.’
Urban told AccuWeather that it is possible to see thousands of the lanternflies infesting a single tree.
The US Department of Agriculture has warned that if spotted lanternflies continue to spread across the country, it will seriously hurt the nation’s fruit and forest industries.
Spotted lanternflies originated in Asia, particularly in China, Vietnam and India
The pests are believed to have arrived in the US in cargo containers carrying import wood or plants
Federal and state officials urge anyone who sees a spotted lanternfly to kill it immediately
USDA said spotted lanternflies are easiest to spot as adults. They are about an inch long with spotted gray wings and hidden red hind wings underneath.
They can also be found as mud-like egg masses stuck to trees, cars, wood, furniture and other hard surfaces.
Federal officials said if you live where lanternflies are already present, check plants and outdoor items and smash any egg masses into a bag with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. You should also destroy any insects you find on vehicles before you travel.
For anyone finding the bugs in states not on the current sightings map, USDA urges you to report the sighting to state agriculture offices right away so officials can confirm it and act.
Some hard-hit Pennsylvania vineyards reported losses of up to 90 percent due to the infestations.
A 2019 Penn State study estimated the insects were costing Pennsylvania about $50 million per year in damage while hundreds of people lost jobs tied to the destroyed crops.
