The spotted lanternfly (aka SLF) is the newest invasive species that has found its way to the Bluegrass State. In early October, a homeowner in Gallatin County noticed the adult form of this insect on their property and worked with their local county Extension agent to submit photos to reportapest@uky.edu. Thanks to this, the Kentucky Office of the State Entomologist was able to visit the site and collect specimens to submit for federal confirmation, officially certifying an infestation. Thus far, no other county has reported lanternflies. As with all invasive species, the spotted lanternfly causes trouble in the areas that they move in to, and Kentuckians should expect to see this pest more frequently in the coming years.
What is the Spotted Lanternfly?
SLF is very distinctive in appearance.; the adult is about an inch long, with strikingly patterned forewings that mixes spots with stripes. The back wings are contrasting red, black, and white. The immature stages are black with white spots and develop red patches as they age. They are a type of planthopper; they are capable of jumping and can be quite fast.
Spotted lanternflies develop through a process called incomplete metamorphosis. This means that the female lays eggs, which will hatch to reveal “nymphs,” immature insects that vaguely resemble the adult. They gradually get larger during the growing season, eventually developing their wings and becoming adults. SLF starts off black with white dots, and then before becoming adults, develop red markings.
How did it get to Kentucky?
The spotted lanternfly is a non-native insect that is from East Asia. The first confirmed infestations were found in Pennsylvania in 2014. Following that discovery, the pest has steadily made progress in infesting other states, such as New Jersey, Ohio, Delaware, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, and West Virginia. In 2021, an infestation was confirmed in Switzerland County, Indiana (directly across the Ohio River from Gallatin County, Kentucky). Further movement in Indiana has been confirmed in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, there was also confirmation of SLF in Cincinnati, OH, with the problem growing in 2023.
In late summer of this year, sites of SLF were confirmed in Illinois and Tennessee, as well. Just when it seemed that the insect might be in every state that touches Kentucky (but not actually in Kentucky), the local infestation was also discovered. Thus far, the number of insects discovered in Kentucky doesn’t rival the infestations you might see images of online or in news reports from states in New England. It is possible that the Gallatin County population arrived via natural movement from Indiana. SLF can jump and fly, and their natural spread can take them 3 to 4 miles from an infested site in a given year. It is also possible that they were accidentally brought into the state on infested goods or on a car, truck, or other means of transport.
What does it do?
This pest is known to feed on more than 70 plant species, including specialty crops like grapes, apples, peaches, and hops, as well as trees such as maple and black walnut amongst other hardwoods, and fruit crops. Their preferred host for a portion of their life cycle is the tree of heaven (another non-native/invasive species). SLF is classified as a true bug, part of the order Hemiptera. They feed using piercing sucking mouthparts. As they feed, they excrete honeydew, a sugary fecal material that accumulates on nearby plants and surfaces and can attract black sooty mold fungi. Honeydew can also be slippery for people and unfortunately can attract stinging insects looking to feed on it. Another unique problem is that beekeepers near SLF infestations report that their bees will forage so heavily on the honeydew that they end up with honey made from SLF fecal material rather than nectar.
Finally, females lay their eggs on natural and unnatural surfaces alike. Eggs are being laid right now as autumn settles in, and they will overwinter in that stage. While they use trees, the cryptic and hard-to-see egg cases have also been found on automobiles, trains, lawn furniture, firewood, stones, and many other substrates. It’s possible that Kentuckians who travel to Gallatin County or to Cincinnati, OH could pick up hitchhiking female lanternflies that will come back to un-infested parts of Kentucky and lay eggs there.
What can people do to help?
Kentuckians should be on the lookout for this pest. Report suspicious looking bugs and egg cases to the Office of the State Entomologist at reportapest@uky.edu . When making a report, please include an image or a sample of the suspect, otherwise it will be difficult to confirm the problem. It is also important to include geographic information. It is true that this is a difficult pest to eliminate, but with the help of citizens monitoring for populations, there is hope that their spread can be slowed to allow communities more time to prepare.
By Jonathan L. Larson, Entomology Extension Specialist
Kentucky Pest News 