In November, the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) announced confirmation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) of the first detection in the state of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula). The pest is an invasive planthopper that poses a serious risk to Georgia agriculture.
Where is it?
The spotted lanternfly was found in Fulton County, Georgia, in October and sent to USDA for confirmation. The first confirmed detection of the spotted lanternfly in the United States was made in Pennsylvania in 2014. The pest has spread to 17 states, including Tennessee and North Carolina.
The planthopper species is indigenous to China and Vietnam. After its introduction into the United States, it quickly spread across northeastern states and is currently spreading south and west.
Why is it Important?
Although the spotted lanternfly does not pose a direct threat to human health, it feeds on a variety of plants, including grapes, hops, stone fruits and hardwood trees. Its feeding weakens these plants and produces a sticky, sugary fluid that encourages the growth of sooty mold, further harming crops. While the pest prefers the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), it can significantly impact many other species. It is a known pest of peaches in other regions, so Georgia’s growers should take notice.
What Does it Look Like?
Growers should become familiar with the pest. It is distinctive looking and should be identified easily. Visit the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s online alert at is.gd/SLFalert to see photos of the pest in different stages of its lifecycle.
The spotted lanternfly overwinters in its egg stage, laying eggs from September to November, which then survive through the winter months until hatching in the spring when temperatures warm up. Essentially, the adult lanternflies die with the first hard frost, but eggs remain viable throughout the winter.
According to USDA, newly laid egg masses (holding 30 to 50 eggs) resemble wet, gray putty before turning dull and brown, mirroring a smear of cracked mud. The 1-inch-long egg masses can be seen on a variety of smooth surfaces, such as trees, bricks, stones, fences, grills, equipment and vehicles.
The juvenile nymphs are black with white spots and turn red as they develop. Adults, roughly 1-inch long and 1/2-inch wide, have a yellow, black-barred abdomen. With large, visually striking wings, adult spotted lanternflies can be easier to spot than other pests. They have brown forewings with black spots at the front and a speckled band at the rear. Their hind wings are scarlet with black spots at the front and white and black bars at the rear.
What Should You Do?
People finding the spotted lanternfly are asked to take photos of the pest and submit them at gainvasives.org/slf/report to the department’s online pest reporting portal. Provide the location of the pest when reporting and kill it after taking photos.
“We urge anyone who sees the spotted lanternfly in their area to document it, report it and kill it. Controlling the spread of the spotted lanternfly is our best strategy for safeguarding Georgia’s agriculture industry, and we are asking for the public’s help in this effort,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper.