Even with summer in the rearview mirror and cold temperatures settling in, there are still signs of Spotted Lanternflies in Lorain County.

Many people in Northeast Ohio have likely heard of and now have seen the Spotted Lanternfly but in case some folks haven’t I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you about this newer, invasive species.

The Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive species of planthopper. They are originally from the more Southeast parts of Asia, primarily China and Vietnam. Likely a hitchhiker on imported goods, it was first found in 2014. It eventually reached Ohio by 2020 and was first reported in Lorain in 2022. The Spotted Lanternfly’s primary host plant, Tree of Heaven, is another invasive species from a similar region of Asia. While that is the primary host plant, they feed on various other woody plants including grapes, hops, fruit trees, and other hardwood trees, vines, and shrubs. They feed on these plants using a piercing, sucking mouthparts called a proboscis to feed on plant sap. This feeding has the potential to cause plant stress that can impact the overall health of a plant over time. Grapes are considered to be one of the more vulnerable crops to Spotted Lanternfly feeding. Continue reading Don’t Forget About the Spotted Lanternfly →