Spotted lanternflies are BACK: 16 US states report sightings of the Asian insect

Spotted lanternflies have been spotted in 16 US states, meaning sidewalks and trees will soon be teeming with hundreds of millions of these Asian insects.

The multi-colored beetle, with spots on its back, is known to feast on more than 70 species of plants, leaving resin covered in poisonous black mold that slowly weakens vegetation.

Residents are being urged to stomp on adult lanternflies and scrape egg masses from trees and other outdoor surfaces to alleviate the impending infestation.

The 2022 plague has been dubbed ‘worse than the locust of Egypt’ and while the season has just begun, experts fear the spotted lanternflies will return with a vengeance.

Two-thirds of Pennsylvania’s counties are in a quarantine zone, which means many trucking companies must obtain a special permit. Pictured is a map of cities that have reported sightings

Pennsylvania was the first to discover a spotted lanternfly in 2014.

The one-inch insect has since cost the state $50.1 million a year, but a 2022 study suggests losses could soon reach $324 million.

Two-thirds of Pennsylvania’s counties are in a quarantine zone, which means many trucking companies must obtain a special permit.

This is because the bugs can sneak into materials being transported across states and the country.

While seemingly harmless, the invasive insects from Asia cost Americans hundreds of millions of dollars a year in economic damage and treatments to eradicate the pests.


The states with sightings are Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Virginia, New Hampshire, Vermont, and West Virginia.

The spotted lanternfly is believed to have come to the US as masses of eggs on a stone shipment that came from China.

Spotted lanternflies have been spotted in 16 US states, meaning sidewalks and trees will soon be teeming with hundreds of millions of these Asian bugs (Stock)

Both nymphs and adults of spotted lanternflies cause damage when they feed by sucking sap from stems and branches.

This can reduce photosynthesis, weaken the plant and ultimately contribute to plant death.

In addition, feeding may cause the plant to ooze or weep, resulting in a fermented smell, and the insects themselves excrete large amounts of a liquid called honeydew.

However, it is not the trees that are most at risk.

“If this plague were allowed to spread in the United States, it could have serious consequences for the country’s grape, orchard and logging industries,” the USDA said.

Almonds, apples, blueberries, cherries, peaches, grapes and hops are some of the threatened crops.

These fluids promote mold growth and attract other insects.

Residents are being urged to stomp on adult lanternflies and scrape egg masses from trees and other outdoor surfaces to alleviate the impending infestation. Pictured is a nyphm (stock)

State officials are sending residents on a mission to kill, urging people to crush or stomp on the bugs, place them in a tub of rubbing alcohol, diluted Clorox or hand sanitizer, and spray them with a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water.

Pests are recognizable by thick clusters of insects on tree trunks and branches.

The public is also encouraged to inspect outdoor furniture, trailers and vehicles for these invasive insects.

They were creative with fighting last year’s plague.

A Staten Island woman used a vacuum cleaner to suck at least 80 pests off her vine.

But a few hours later, the vine was affected again.

Another woman in New Jersey fed insects to a giant spider that made her home on her front porch.