This sticky honeydew attracts other pests, particularly hornets, wasps and ants, causing more annoyance for people in affected areas and complicating crop harvests. Immature and adult SLFs excrete tremendous amounts of sugary honeydew as they feed, which lands on plants around and beneath them. To feed on plant sap, SLF pierce the bark, creating wounds that can allow plant pathogens to infect trees. Dead shoots on some hosts, particularly black walnut trees, have been observed in Pennsylvania. At high SLF densities, this feeding can reduce vigor of trees and vines.

Spotted lanternfly feeds by sucking sap from the stems and trunks of a wide variety of plants. Photo by Lawrence Barringer, Pennsylvania Dept. This means SLF can be easily spread over long distances if people move the articles bearing the eggs.

Spotted lanternfly females can lay their eggs on nearly any surface including vehicles, patio furniture and outdoor equipment, as well as trees. Check vehicles and any outdoor items for egg masses or other life stages before leaving areas where SLF has been reported. Residents or visitors to areas where SLF occurs should be aware of the risks of moving this invasive pest. Quarantines have been established to prevent further spread of SLF life stages by people moving infested material. Spotted lanternfly can be easily spread to new locations when people accidentally transport eggs or other life stages into new areas. This invasive pest can feed on at least 70 species of trees, as well as vines and shrubs, including fruit trees, hops, grapevines and several hardwoods. You can check its current status in Michigan by visiting the State’s invasive species website: /spottedlanternfly It was first found in the United States in 2014 in Berks County, southeastern Pennsylvania, and then spread to other eastern U.S. Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White) (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), is a sap-feeding insect native to China and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Spotted lantern fly eggs