Spotted Lanternfly Poses Possible Serious Threat To NoVA County

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — The spotted lanternfly, an insect that feeds on and causes the decline of more than 100 different plant species, has been spotted in Northern Virginia.

Prince William County’s Mosquito and Forest Pest Management Branch determined the spotted lanternfly, found in the county in late March, has become a potentially serious threat to the county’s trees and forests, the county said Tuesday.

Since its first appearance in Virginia in 2018, the Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services determined that the spotted lanternfly needs monitoring and possible control at the local level.

Experts say the insect, a native to China, India and Vietnam, feeds on more than 70 plant species, including grapes, apples, stone fruits, hops and Ailanthus altissima (Tree of Heaven), which is its preferred host. In the past, it has posed a threat to Virginia's peach, apple, grape and wine industries, the VDACS said.

Two years ago, the department announced a spotted lanternfly quarantine for Frederick County and the city of Winchester. The goal of the quarantine was to slow the spread of the spotted lanternfly to uninfested areas of the state.

RELATED: VA Quarantine For Spotted Lanternfly Begins In 2 Communities

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors has authorized a public hearing to amend the county’s Gypsy Moth and Mosquito Control Service District Ordinance to include surveillance and outreach for the spotted lanternfly. The ordinance requires an amendment to use public funds to take measures to fight the spotted lanternfly.

The county said educating the public is the best way of finding the spotted lanternfly. Early detection can help the Prince William County’s Public Works’ staff with eradication efforts, according to the county.

Officials say early detection is vital to managing the spotted lanternfly. Prince William County residents should:

• Learn to identify spotted lanternfly in its different life stages.
• Look for spotted lanternfly egg masses from now to early spring by checking tree trunks, wheel wells, lawn furniture, fences, storage sheds, rocks and other smooth surfaces.
• Destroy the egg masses by scrapping them from tree bark or any other surface and putting them in a container, such as a bag, filled with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. The egg masses can also be smashed.
• Learn to identify Tree of Heaven from other look-alike trees and remove female trees from your yard, using best-management practices to avoid clone reproduction.
• Share information about the pest with your family, friends, and others in your network to help raise awareness about the threat and what people can do to help stop the spotted lanternfly.
• Report sightings of spotted lanternflies and their egg masses to the Prince William County office of Virginia Cooperative Extension.