To report a spotted lanternfly in the US, take a photo, note exactly where you saw it, and send it to your state’s department of agriculture or plant regulatory agency, usually through an online form. If you’re in an area where the insect is already well established, most states no longer need a report and instead ask you to kill it on the spot. Reports matter most where lanternflies haven’t been confirmed yet.
The US Department of Agriculture’s APHIS reports that 19 states and the District of Columbia have some degree of spotted lanternfly infestation, so check your own state’s current rules before assuming either way.
Step by step: reporting a sighting #
- Take a clear photo. Get the whole insect in frame, from above if it’s an adult with wings closed, or with wings open if you can. A second photo of the tree or object it was on helps.
- Record the exact location. A street address, GPS pin or nearby landmark, plus the date. Your phone’s photo location data is useful here.
- Collect a specimen if your state asks for one. New York, for example, asks people outside its high-infestation areas to put the insect in a freezer or a jar with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer.
- Submit it to your state. Most states use an online reporting form on the department of agriculture website. APHIS directs people to their state plant regulatory official.
- Then kill it, unless your state specifically tells you to keep it alive.
State examples #
- Pennsylvania: reports can be made through the Department of Agriculture’s page using the online SLF reporting form or by phone at 1-888-4BAD-FLY (1-888-422-3359). Pennsylvania also runs a quarantine that requires checking items before moving them out of quarantined areas.
- New York: the Department of Agriculture and Markets asks people to take a photo, collect a sample and contact its SLF responders, except in 10 heavily infested areas (Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties and New York City), where residents are asked to simply kill it.
- New Jersey: the Department of Agriculture’s campaign focuses on control, telling homeowners to “Stomp it Out”: crush nymphs and adults and scrape egg masses into a bag for the trash.
If your state isn’t listed, search for “[your state] department of agriculture spotted lanternfly” to find the current reporting page.
Should I kill a spotted lanternfly? #
In almost every case, yes. APHIS says to smash them, and states from Pennsylvania to New Jersey encourage residents to destroy lanternflies and their egg masses. It’s an invasive species that feeds on the sap of many trees and plants, and killing them reduces local populations.
Where a state wants a specimen for confirmation, it will say so on its reporting page. Kill it and freeze it or put it in alcohol.
How to identify each life stage #
Spotted lanternflies look completely different as they grow, which is why people often don’t recognize the young ones.
| Stage | Typical timing (Mid-Atlantic) | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Egg mass | Fall through spring | 30 to 50 eggs covered in a gray, putty-like coating that dries and cracks, looking like a smear of mud |
| Early nymphs | Late spring into summer | Small, black with bright white spots, wingless, hop when disturbed |
| Late nymph | Mid-summer | Red with black and white spots |
| Adult | Mid-summer into late fall | About 1 inch long; grayish-brown forewings with black spots; red hind wings with black and white patches, visible in flight |
APHIS describes the adult as roughly 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide at rest, with brown forewings with black spots and scarlet hind wings. Egg masses hold 30 to 50 eggs and look like wet gray putty when fresh, then dull and brown.
Where to look #
Spotted lanternflies prefer tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), an invasive tree with long compound leaves, 1 to 4 feet long, made of many leaflets. They also feed on grapevines, maples, black walnut, willow and many other plants. Check trunks and branches for groups of adults, especially in late summer and fall.
Other signs:
- Honeydew: a sticky, sugary liquid lanternflies excrete, which drips onto decks, cars and plants below
- Sooty mold: black mold growing on that honeydew
- Egg masses on tree bark, stone, outdoor furniture, vehicles, trailers and firewood
Lookalikes that aren’t spotted lanternflies #
- Garden tiger moth and other tiger moths: can have red or orange hind wings, but they have a moth’s fuzzy body and feathery or thread-like antennae.
- Giant leopard moth: white with black rings, no red when at rest.
- Large milkweed bug and eastern boxelder bug: red and black like late-stage nymphs, but longer and narrower, and they walk rather than hop.
- Leafhoppers and other planthoppers: related insects, but much smaller and differently patterned.
If you’re unsure, report it anyway. State agencies would rather screen a false alarm than miss a new infestation.
Don’t move them #
Spotted lanternflies spread mostly by hitching rides. APHIS advises inspecting vehicles and outdoor items before traveling out of an infested area, and scraping egg masses into a sealed plastic bag with hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol. Before you move firewood, patio furniture, a trailer or a camper, check it over, especially from fall through spring when egg masses are present. If you’re in a quarantine zone, businesses may need a permit to move goods.
Getting a quick ID before you report #
A report is more useful with a confident identification. Insect Identity includes the spotted lanternfly among its 224 species, along with lookalikes such as the garden tiger moth, giant leopard moth, large milkweed bug and eastern boxelder bug. It runs on your phone without a connection and shows a best match with a confidence score and four runners-up, so you can check a bug on a tree trunk in a park and then send your state the photo. The app doesn’t submit reports for you, and nymphs and egg masses look nothing like the adults, so send the photo to your state agency either way. For photo tips that help both the app and the people reviewing your report, see how to photograph a bug for identification, and for insects you want to keep in the yard, beneficial insects for the garden.
Frequently asked questions #
Do I need to report a spotted lanternfly if I killed it? #
It depends on where you are. In counties or states where lanternflies are well established, you usually don’t need to report. In areas with no confirmed population, report it even if you killed it, with a photo and location, and keep the specimen in the freezer or in alcohol.
Are spotted lanternflies harmful to people or pets? #
They don’t bite or sting. The harm is to plants, vineyards and orchards, and to anything under a tree that gets coated in their sticky honeydew. If your pet seems unwell after eating any insect, call your veterinarian.
When is spotted lanternfly season? #
In the Mid-Atlantic, nymphs hatch in late spring, red late-stage nymphs appear in mid-summer, and adults are active from mid-summer until the first hard freezes. Egg masses, laid in fall, survive the winter and hatch the next spring.
What’s the best way to kill spotted lanternflies? #
Stepping on them or swatting them works for adults and nymphs. Scrape egg masses into a bag or container with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. For large infestations on trees, check with your state’s extension service before using insecticides, since some products harm pollinators.