The invasive spotted lanternfly has infested more than half the cities and towns in Massachusetts, according to data gathered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
The sap-sucking insect native to parts of China and Vietnam arrived in Massachusetts in late 2020, and its population has grown exponentially since. MDAR found four new infestations in 2021, 12 in 2022, 43 in 2023, and last year, the department confirmed 65 new areas with the spotted lanternfly.
MDAR announced the latest number of communities with the pest at a quarterly spotted lanternfly meeting on Nov. 4. The state agency confirmed 78 new communities this year, bringing the total to 186 known infestations.
“At this point, it’s here,” Spotted Lanternfly Survey Technician Astra Perkins said.
The species leaves behind a sticky, sweet substance called honeydew, which can cover surfaces and attract stinging insects. In agricultural areas, the spotted lanternfly feeds on grapevines, berries and hops.
According to the Invasive Pest Dashboard, 10 Hampshire County communities, 15 Hampden County areas and two Franklin County municipalities have confirmed infestations. Springfield and Holyoke have the largest populations in the Pioneer Valley.
“A lot of these infestations that we know about are currently pretty small,” Perkins said. “The ones that have been here for a while, and the ones that are in heavily populated areas are where they’re moving around the most.”
Humans are the biggest culprit of the speedy spread of spotted lanternflies. The species often congregates in urban areas, where its preferred host plant, tree of heaven, thrives. As people commute to work or travel by train, the spotted lanternfly hitchhikes inside wheel wells or lays eggs on the sides of transport vehicles.
The adult spotted lanternfly, identified by their red underwings, is typically seen from July to December, Forest Pest Outreach Coordinator Elizabeth Barnes said. They do not sting nor are they poisonous, but their red coloring tricks predators into thinking they are dangerous.
Once autumn comes, the insects begin to form brown splotches with 30 to 50 individual insect eggs. While adults die off after a few consecutive days of cold weather, the eggs overwinter and hatch into nymphs in the spring.
“Unfortunately, the temperatures historically that we get are nowhere near cold enough to kill them,” Barnes said.
Egg masses are often confused with lichen, fungus or other insect eggs. Barnes said to look for a greyish-brown mass as thick as two quarters stacked on top of each other. The egg masses do not overlap like lichen, and often lay in a straight line rather than a blotch.
Nearly any flat surface can have an egg mass, from firewood and lawn furniture to the crevasse of stone walls and foundations of sheds. Invasive Insect Compliance Officer Steven Gniadek said he often finds the most egg masses on fallen logs or inside peeling tree bark. One piece of bark in Springfield had 150 to 200 egg masses on it.
MDAR removes egg masses from commercial and industrial properties to limit the spread of spotted lanternfly. The agency scraped 38,000 egg masses from 250 sites last year. While MDAR does not respond to residential properties, Invasive Pest Inspector Monica Coskie encourages people to remove egg masses themselves or call a pest control professional.
“Just by crushing one egg [mass], you’re taking out potentially 50 lanternflies,” Monica Coskie said.
People can use a credit card to take off the egg masses and pop the eggs. For the squeamish, Perkins said power washing also has enough pressure to kill the eggs.
People are encouraged to report any potential lanternfly sightings at the Introduced Pests Outreach Project website throughout the year.
