Look Out For Spotted Lanternflies, Camden County Warns

COLLINGSWOOD, NJ — Camden County officials are ramping up efforts to stamp out the Spotted Lanternfly, an extremely invasive, crop-eating insect which recently arrived in New Jersey, county officials said in a release. Lanternfly eggs which were laid in the fall will begin to hatch in May.

Once they hatch, it’s bad news because Spotted Lanternflies are known to destroy fruit trees, grapevines, and other agricultural crops.Officials are once again calling for the public’s help identifying and destroying these eggs in order to limit the population.

“By now, most of us have seen this pest in our community, and while their presence is often a nuisance to outdoor gatherings, the true cost of this species’ growth is their capacity to devastate crops, trees, and plants,” Commissioner Jeff Nash, liaison to the Camden County Parks Department, said in the county’s release. “With eggs expected to begin hatching soon, we do not have much time left to minimize the threat posed by this invasive species. Please be sure to check your surroundings for egg masses and, when spotted, follow the necessary steps to safely destroy and dispose of them. By destroying SLF egg masses, you are helping to control the population and protect South Jersey’s agricultural economy.”

Spotted Lanternflies typically lay their eggs on smooth surfaces, appearing similar to a patch of mud, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Residents are advised to check outdoor items for egg masses, including those which may have been brought indoors for the winter.

To properly destroy egg masses, the USDA recommends scraping the mass into a plastic zippered bag filled with hand sanitizer, then zipping the bag shut and disposing of it properly.

Spotted lanternflies are not known to bite, sting, or attack people, pets or livestock, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agricultures. It is not known whether they are poisonous when ingested by humans or animals. The pest is primarily a threat to agriculture including many fruit and crops.

Statewide, the dangerously invasive spotted lanternfly has been spotted in Camden, Cape May, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Burlington, Salem, Somerset and Warren counties, with Cape May and Gloucester among the newest additions to the list, state officials say. Three years ago, the bug was found in only three counties.

Eight of the counties have been "quarantined;" Cape May has not. That means businesses and the general public in the quarantine area have been required to obtain and fill out a New Jersey residence checklist before moving any of the articles listed here.

The quarantine also requires people and businesses to inspect their vehicles for hitchhiking spotted lanternflies and inspect outdoor items such as firewood, paving stones and lawn equipment for egg masses when they travel or move those items to areas outside the quarantine area, state officials say. Read more here: NJ: Stop Dangerously Invasive Lanternfly Spread In 8 NJ Counties