by Ashley Frasca, Cherokee County Master Gardener

Humans are on the move and so are invasive pests, especially now that the weather has warmed up. Whether it’s a road trip, camping, or moving lawn equipment around, we may be transporting invasive pests across state lines without even knowing it.

Awareness about and detection of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula or SLF) has been steadily on the rise in the past ten years or so. I first learned about it around 2021 when I was told the story of a student in Kansas who had one of these planthoppers displayed on a 4-H project. Knowing that this pest was first recognized in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014, the Kansas Department of Agriculture immediately went to work on trying to determine how it got there.

According to the National Park Service, “people can unknowingly move the inconspicuous egg masses over long distances this time of year when moving plants, firewood, construction and shipping materials (e.g., stone, lumber, wood crates), outdoor household articles such as grills, mowers, and furniture, or recreational vehicles.”

Right now, light brown or cocoa colored egg masses may be visible on “the smooth bark of many host trees, including willow, maple, poplar, sycamore, and fruit trees. Lanternflies also lay eggs on smooth vertical surfaces of vehicles, campers, rail cars, yard furniture, or farm equipment or other items stored outside” according to the site DontMoveFirewood.org.

Nymphs, or the immature version of SLF, hatch in spring. They are small and black, with white polka dots. These nymphs will typically reach the adult stage by mid-to-late summer. The adult stage is by far the easiest time to recognize a spotted lanternfly by its colorful beige, red, black, and white wings. They’ll begin laying eggs in the fall, and the cycle begins all over again.

Both the nymph stage and the mature stage of this planthopper pest (though they kind of look like moths) suck sap out of “practically everything” — plants or trees with smooth bark in your landscape. They are also a threat to grapevines, which could pose a real economic issue. According to the National Association of American Wineries, the Georgia wine industry boasts 92 wine producers who take up almost 1,400 acres of vineyards across the state.

Dr. David Coyle, a forest health specialist at Clemson University, warned of the sheer scope of what spotted lanternfly will eat on a recent episode of Green and Growing on 95.5 WSB, as well as the warning that “with infestations, numbers can be almost beyond description. For the home gardener, this is going to be one of the things to definitely keep an eye out for.”

Plant failure due to SLF damage can occur in one of two ways. The greater the infestation, the more sap is removed from the plant by feeding pests. This can lead to yellowing leaves and disease transmission. Sooty mold, often brought on by honeydew secretions by this pest, is the second way a plant could die. By the time that black coating on leaves and sometimes trunks (i.e., sooty mold) is visible, the plant is struggling through its photosynthetic processes.

Trees or plants affected by SLF may also exhibit more rapid than normal defoliation or dieback of leaves in clusters around the plant, so you’ll need to investigate, as these could also be symptoms of some completely unrelated issue.

Now that nearly 20 states have documented sightings of spotted lanternfly, state universities and concerned citizens are working together to bring awareness to this pest. People are encouraged to not only report sightings to their state’s department of agriculture but to take action as well. The Georgia Department of Agriculture encourages people to report SLF sightings on the Georgia Invasive Species Task Force website here: Report Spotted Lanternfly – Georgia Invasives

When there are signs of SLF in the Georgia landscape, gardeners are encouraged to smash and scrape egg masses off any surface, apply sticky bands on the tree trunks to catch the pest as it moves about the tree, or to install DIY lampshade traps on tree trunks, which are attractive to SLF to lay its eggs. Egg masses can then be observed, removed and destroyed. Visit this website of the North Carolina State Extension for more information: forestry.ces.ncsu.edu.

Entomologists representing four large universities from southeastern states have created a calendar to aid in management of this emerging, invasive pest. It includes information on the timing of the different stages in this pest’s lifecycle as well as control measures. Details are here: https://zeeahmed.org/spotted-lanternfly-checklist-for-growers-printable/.