The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive insect from China. The insect was first discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014 but has since spread to Maryland, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia, and into the Midwest. An adult population was found in Forsyth and Guilford counties in 2022.
Spotted lanternfly feeds on over 60 species of woody plants, including fruit trees and grapevines. The insect prefers to feed on another invasive species, tree-of-heaven, so removing this plant from your property will help control spotted lanternfly.
If you find a spotted lanternfly, please report it through the online reporting tool at https://www.ncagr.gov/SLFMore Information and Resources for Identifying Spotted Lanternfly:
Penn State Spotted Lanternfly website
NC State University North Central IPM
Information on Tree-of-Heaven:
Tree of Heaven (Alilanthus) – Invasive Forest Pests
