Spotted Lanternfly Adults

The Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) (SLF) is currently in the adult stage, and can remain active as adults until our first frost this fall. It is often in this stage that it captures attention because of its size and uniqueness, and Ohioans are taking notice. In recent weeks, several SLF finds have been reported. These reports include single finds where individual adults were seen outdoors, and locations where numerous insects where found in what has been defined as reproducing populations.

If you suspect you are seeing SLF, whether it is one or many, we would like you to collect it. The collection could be the actual specimen in a container, or its image with a camera or phone.

Reports can be made to the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) on their website, by emailing or calling. Information can be found on their website at: ODA, SLF Webpage Additionally, suspect reports can also be made using the Great Lakes Early Detection Network App. This free smartphone app can be downloaded and used to report a variety of invasive species including SLF.

Early detections of SLF will help Ohioans manage populations that can ultimately reduce the impact caused by this invasive species and lessen levels that can become a nuisance.

We realize if you are helping us look for SLF, you may see other insects that could be confused with SLF. Check out this resources created by Virginia Tech to highlight some look-alikes.

spotted-lanternfly-look-a-likes

Egg masses of Spotted Lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, on Tree of Heaven, Ailanthus altissima, were discovered by an arborist during the week of February 14, 2022 in Amherst, Lorain County. Ohio Department of Agriculture inspected the trees the week of February 21st. A formal announcement was made by ODA in early March 2022. So, what can YOU do? Scout!

Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive pest commonly found to infest Tree of Heaven, Ailanthus altissima. In addition, the insect’s 2nd favorite host is grapes which is bad news for vineyards in Ohio. As of this article, infestations have been found in Jefferson County, Cuyahoga County and Lorain County. All 3 of these infestations were found on Tree of Heaven that were growing along railroad tracks.

Infestation was first discovered in the United States near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The insect is a great hitchhiker on railroad cars and trucks. Adults can hop on a train that is idle, and then transported to other locations. Adults can hop off the train then lay eggs on typically Tree of Heaven but also on Mulberry, Morus alba.

The eggs are laid in the fall and stay dormant until they hatch in the spring. The 4th instar is red with white spots and measures around a half inch. The 4th instar is red with white spots and measures around a half inch. The adults can range from an inch to 1 ½ inches. These insects to not bite or pose a threat to people. They do consume large amounts for sap from the phloem tissue causing the plant to look like it is bleeding. In addition, the sap that is consumed and then discarded can drip on lower leaves of the plant in the for of honeydew and can produce sooty mold. Note the ants on the stem searching out honeydew.

So, what can you do?

1. Locate Tree of Heaven and scout it once a week (video).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-je2sxVIXc&t=29s

2.  Load the Great Lakes Early Detection Network App on your Smart Phone (video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT9lik8X-Fs

3. Scout and ID Spotted Lanternfly (video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2i3HTd_65M

4. Report findings to Ohio Department of Agriculture or report on GLEDN App

ODA Report Link (click on Report Infestation):

https://agri.ohio.gov/divisions/plant-health/invasive-pests/slf

Together, we can Slow the Spread!

Earlier today, September 2, 2021, the Ohio Department of Agriculture announced a population of the invasive Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) has been found on the east side of Cleveland. The information in this alert is from the announcement that ODA distributed today.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) was notified of the initial discovery by a tree care professional on August 26, 2021.

ODA Plant Pest inspectors confirmed living, adult SLF are in the area. An inspector with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), also confirmed a population of the SLF has been found at a secondary location, near the initial report.

A railroad line connects both locations.

ODA has been working with the United States Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio State University Extension, and the Ohio Grape Industries Committee to do visual surveys, insect trapping, and outreach in the region.

SLF is a great concern to the grape and wine industry. The insect is fond of grapevines, fruit trees, hops, blueberry, oak, pine, poplar, and walnut. Adult SLF are attracted to the invasive Ailanthus tree, also known as tree-of-heaven, while nymphs feed on a wide range of hosts. Both adults and nymphs feed on stems and leaves, causing sap bleeding and reduced photosynthesis, which can eventually kill the plant.

Now through November is the best time to spot the SLF because it is in its most recognizable stages as a colorful winged adult plant hopper. After hatching in the late spring, the SLF goes through four nymph stages. By midsummer, the nymph SLF can be identified by its red body, roughly a half-inch in size, with black stripes and white dots. During the late summer until roughly November, the SLF is in the adult stage. These adults are larger, roughly one inch in size, with black bodies and brightly colored wings.

The public is the first line of defense against the SLF. If you believe you have seen an SLF in your area, you can easily report a suspected infestation by going to ODA’s Spotted Lanternfly Information Page and filling out a suspected infestation report. You may also call the Plant Pest Control Division at 614-728-6400.

For more information about the spotted lanternfly and what you can do to help, please visit our website.

Additionally, any suspect reports can be made using the Great Lakes Early Detection Network App. If you have any questions about the App, contact Amy Stone at OSU Extension at stone.91@osu.edu

REYNOLDSBURG, OH (Oct. 27, 2020) – A population of the invasive Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) has been found in Mingo Junction just south of Steubenville, along the Ohio River. The initial report came from a resident who spotted a dead adult SLF on a commercial building on October 19, 2020. When Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Plant Pest Control inspectors arrived, they were able to capture five live adult SLF in trees located nearby.

ODA has been working with the United States Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio State University Extension, and the Ohio Grape Industries Committee to do visual surveys, insect trapping, and outreach in the region.

SLF is a great concern to the grape and wine industry. The insect is fond of grapevines, fruit trees, hops, blueberry, oak, pine, poplar, and walnut. Adult SLF are attracted to the invasive Ailanthus tree, also known as tree-of-heaven, while nymphs feed on a wide range of hosts. Both adults and nymphs feed on stems and leaves, causing sap bleeding and reduced photosynthesis, which can eventually kill the plant.

Now through November is the best time to spot the SLF because it is in its most recognizable stages as a colorful winged adult plant hopper. After hatching in the late spring, the SLF goes through four nymph stages. By midsummer, the nymph SLF can be identified by its red body, roughly a half-inch in size, with black stripes and white dots. During the late summer until roughly November, the SLF is in the adult stage. These adults are larger, roughly one inch in size, with black bodies and brightly colored wings.

The public is the first line of defense against the SLF. If you believe you have seen an SLF in your area, you can easily report a suspected infestation by going to ODA’s Spotted Lanternfly Information Page and filling out a suspected infestation report. You may also call the Plant Pest Control Division at 614-728-6400.

For more information about the spotted lanternfly and what you can do to help, please visit our website.

Original Publish Date: May 24, 2018

Please visit the following site for the original article: https://cfaes.osu.edu/news/articles/spotted-lanternfly-settling-in-little-too-close

COLUMBUS, Ohio — An invasive pest that was initially contained within Pennsylvania has spread to Delaware and Virginia, and insect experts worry the next stop will be Ohio.

Spotted lanternflies suck sap from fruit crops and trees, which can weaken them and contribute to their death. Native to China, the insect was first found in the United States in 2014 in Pennsylvania.

At this time, spotted lanternflies are still relatively far from the Ohio border. They have been found in the southeastern part of Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. However, they can be spread long distances by people who move infested material or items containing egg masses.

“The natural spread would take a long time, but it would be very easy to be moved through firewood or trees that are being relocated,” said Amy Stone, an educator with Ohio State University Extension. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at The Ohio State University.

If it arrives in Ohio, the spotted lanternfly has the potential to do serious damage to the grape, apple, hops and logging industries, Stone said.

The lanternfly’s preferred meal is from the bark of Ailanthus or tree of heaven, which is typically not intentionally planted but instead grows on abandoned property and along rivers and highways.

Compared to the spotted wing drosophila or the brown marmorated stink bug, which seize on fruit and vegetable crops, the spotted lanternfly has a more limited palate so it likely would not do as much damage, said Celeste Welty an OSU Extension entomologist.

“Everybody’s fear is any new invasive pest will be like those two. But it seems to me, it’s not as much of a threat,” Welty said.

And unlike the spotted wing drosophila and the brown marmorated stink bug, the lanternfly is easy to spot because the adult bug is about 1 inch long and, with its wings extended, about 2 inches wide, Welty said.

For now, all that can be done to stem the spread of lanterflies is to stay watchful for their presence and any damage they may inflict. On trees, they zero in on the bark, particularly at the base of the tree. Lanternflies can cause a plant to ooze or weep and have a fermented odor. They can also cause sooty mold or a buildup of sticky fluid on plants as well as on the ground beneath infested plants.

An app developed by the CFAES School of Environment and Natural Resources allows users to report invasive species if they suspect that they have come across them. The app, which is called the Great Lakes Early Detection Network, features details about invasive species that people should be on the lookout for.

If someone sees a lanternfly, he or she should contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture at 614-728-6201.