Spotted Lanternfly

The Spotted Lanternfly has landed in our region!

Virginia Cooperative Extension has been monitoring the arrival of this invasive in our region. A breeding population of SLF are present and have been reported to VDACS. Our Extension Master Gardener Help Desk can provide identification and management advice.

There is no need to report in Arlington and Alexandria any longer.
Residents should inspect outdoor equipment and wood for egg masses prior to transporting out of our jurisdiction to a place where they are not yet established.
- Egg masses can be found from late July through Late April.
- Residents should also be aware that adult spotted lantern flies have been known to stow away in camping gear, golf bags, cars and outdoor furniture.
- Care should be taken not to transport any immature or mature stage of the insect from April to October.
Check out this interesting research: Using the spotted lanternfly to control a different kind of invasive species

Identifying Egg Masses (from What Should You Do With Spotted Lanternfly Egg Masses? Penn State Extension)

“SLF egg masses are usually about 1.5 inches long and colored brown/grey; however there can be a lot of variation among them! All egg masses contain rows of small eggs, roughly the size of a sharpened pencil point. Rows can vary in length, with some being longer than others in the same egg mass. Eggs within the egg mass can vary in color from a yellow to brown. After the female lays the eggs, she covers them with a substance believed to help them survive winter conditions and protect them from predation. When this substance is first deposited, it is white and glossy. After a few hours, the substance becomes duller and dries to a darker grey/brown color. Some egg masses do not get covered, often because the female SLF was disturbed by outside factors such as humans, other SLF, or potential predators. We have found that egg masses without a covering have a 10% lower hatch rate on average, though they can still hatch. Egg masses that have not been laid by the female will not hatch – if you kill an adult female SLF that is full of eggs, you need not do more!”