![]() The masses could be hard to identify because they look like dried mud. The spotted lanternfly is especially attracted to the invasive tree of heaven, but will lay egg masses on just about any outdoor surface. Now that the insects are reaching the adult stage, people could also see egg masses. When the adults fly, they show vibrant red wings. The reports are heavily concentrated in Fairfield County and around Milford, Smith said.Īt this time of year, people will see spotted lanternflies in their late-nymph stages – a small, red jumping insect with black markings and white spots – and their adult stage – a much larger flying insect with tan-gray wings with black spots. “People are calling or emailing in saying they’re just overrun with spotted lanternfly.” “We’re getting reports of lots and lots of insects,” Smith said. Victoria Smith, entomologist with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, said they have already fielded about 600 reports of spotted lanternflies this year – compared to 632 reports in all of 2022. Since then, it’s been seen in every county, with infestations confirmed in all but Middlesex, Tolland and Windham counties. The sap-feeding pest – known for swarming and damaging grape vines and fruit trees in the Mid-Atlantic, along with being a general nuisance – was first seen in Connecticut in 2019. It has spread quickly across the country – as far north as Vermont, south to North Carolina, and an isolated infestation as far west as Iowa. If you think you have found a spotted lanternfly, please call the Entomology and Plant Science Bureau at 51 or e-mail You may also contact your local county Iowa State University Extension Office.After years of limited sightings in Connecticut, the spotted lanternfly is starting to swarm.įirst spotted in the United States in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 2014, the invasive spotted lanternfly has become a major pest there and in New Jersey. The sucking of sap from plants can reduce the products of photosynthesis, thereby weakening the plant and eventually contributing to the plant’s death. A sooty mold may also occur on infested plants and fruit. A buildup of sticky honeydew on plants or the ground underneath the plants may be present. ![]() Infested plants may ooze or weep and have a fermented odor. Plants preferred include grapes and hops, and the following trees: almond, apple, apricot, cherry, maple, nectarine, oak, peach, pine, plum, poplar, sycamore, tree-of-heaven, walnut, and willow. It feeds on a wide range of fruit, ornamental, and woody trees, with tree-of-heaven being one of the preferred hosts. During the day, they tend to cluster near the base of the plant if there is adequate cover or in the canopy, making them more difficult to see. They are easiest to spot at dusk or at night as they migrate up and down the trunk of the plant. Spotted lanternfly adults and nymphs frequently gather in large numbers on host plants. It is ironic is that this invasive insect prefers to feed on the tree-of-heaven, another invasive species.” “At this time of year, we expect to find the eye-catching nymphs, which can be black and white, or red, black, and white. We appreciate this community member letting us know about its presence in our state and we hope other Iowans will keep an eye out as we want to contain the spread of this destructive pest,” said State Entomologist Robin Pruisner. “Spotted lanternfly nymphs and adults are colorful, and if you spot one, please report it to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship right away. Surveys of the immediate area have not resulted in signs of an ongoing infestation and entomologists hope the insects recently hitchhiked into the area. Federal identification confirmed the sample as a spotted lanternfly. If allowed to spread further in the United States, this pest could seriously impact the country’s grape, orchard, nursery, and logging industries.Ī community member notified the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship of the presence of two immature spotted lanternflies in Dallas County earlier this month. It has since been confirmed in eleven states and often spreads by the movement of infested material or items containing spotted lanternfly egg masses. The colorful but invasive and destructive insect is native to China, India, and Vietnam, and was accidentally introduced into Pennsylvania in 2014. Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Urges Iowans to be on the Lookout for Spotted Lanternflies Colorful but invasive and destructive insect has been confirmed in IowaĭES MOINES, Iowa (July 26, 2022) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship asks Iowans to be on the lookout for spotted lanternfly insects.
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