Spotted Lanternflies Now Hatching In NJ: Here's How To Trap Them

NEW JERSEY — While the pandemic has turned society upside down, a more inconspicuous element has been lurking in the cities and the woods of New Jersey for years now.

The spotted lanternfly, although no threat to humans and animals, is known to destroy plants and trees in New Jersey.

The invasive planthopper has the potential to greatly impact grape, hop, small fruit, vegetable, and horticultural industries, according to the state Department of Agriculture. Officials said that early detection is crucial to protect state businesses and agriculture.

The NJDA released an instructional video in March urging the residents of eight counties to destroy these bad bugs (see below).

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.

Read more: NJ: Stop Dangerously Invasive Lanternfly Spread In 8 NJ Counties

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.

“We know it’s a growing menace and we are out there with crews across this state looking for some of the major infestations,” said state Agricultural Secretary Doug Fisher.

“But we also know we can start in very little ways even in your home properties.”

The bugs are easy to spot – an adult is around 1 inch long and half an inch wide at rest. Their forewings are grey with black spots and legs and head are black; the abdomen is yellow with broad black bands.

They hatch at the end of April or early May, officials say, so it's prime time to keep an eye out for them and destroy them at all costs.

The first step is identifying the egg masses. They appear like black, sooty mold on a tree. The spotted lanternfly prefers the Tree of Heaven, which is common in New Jersey. Egg masses hold between 30-50 eggs.

If found, they can also be crushed on the tree using a rock or credit card, instead of scraping them off, said NJDA Director of Plant Industry Joseph Zoltowski.

“You just want to squish them as you’re dragging them, ripping them off the tree.” Zoltowski said in the instructional video.

They can also be scraped off, or you can double bag them, and throw them away, advised the NJDA. The eggs can be placed in alcohol, bleach, or hand sanitizer to kill them.

“So why do we want to eliminate the spotted lanternfly? Because they can do huge damage,” said Fisher.

“So the more you can do as an individual... you’ll be helping everyone.”

While the spotted lanternfly is not a threat to humans or animals, it is known to feed on numerous types of vegetation.

One of the potentially damaging things this bug can do is prey on dozens of types of crops and trees, and they reportedly can attach themselves to the bark of Christmas trees to lay their eggs and multiply, state officials say.

Spotted lanternfly egg masses hold between 30-50 eggs of the invasive species. One sign to look for to see where lanternfly has been is a black sooty mold on a tree. The spotted lanternfly prefers the Tree of Heaven, which is common in New Jersey.

NJDA and USDA crews have combined to treat more than 20,000 acres and have destroyed thousands of egg masses on nearly 600 properties throughout this past winter season.

The spotted lanternfly is native to Asia, but arrived in the U.S. in Berks County, Pa., on a shipment in 2014. The species has been advancing ever since, causing Pennsylvania to have a number of counties currently under quarantine.

The insect was first found in New Jersey in 2018. Then, a Warren County woman had two clusters of spotted lanternfly eggs attached to her pre-cut Christmas tree, but she didn't notice them until she saw a few strange-looking insects inside her home a month later, when the tree was still up.

Nymph and adult spotted lanternflies cause extensive damage when they feed, sucking sap from stems and leaves and causing the plant to ooze and weep.

Not only does the plant die but the "fermented odor" caused by the feeding, along with the fluid excreted by the insects themselves, promotes mold growth and draws even more insects, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Department field crews have been conducting surveys for this insect along the New Jersey-Pennsylvania border since 2014.

Justin Heinze contributed to this story.

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