Spotted Lanternfly in Maryland
The invasive planthopper is now established in Maryland. Here is how to spot it and what to do.
What the spotted lanternfly is
The spotted lanternfly is an invasive planthopper, native to Asia, that arrived in the Mid-Atlantic in the last decade and has spread into Maryland, including Montgomery County. Adults are about an inch long with gray forewings dotted black and vivid red-and-black hindwings that flash when they fly, and immature nymphs are black (later red) with white spots. They do not bite or sting people, but they are a serious agricultural and nuisance pest, and Maryland has placed counties under a quarantine to slow their spread.
Why it matters here
Lanternflies feed on the sap of many plants and trees, especially the invasive tree-of-heaven that grows along roadsides, rail lines and stream valleys throughout the DMV. As they feed they excrete large amounts of a sugary honeydew that coats decks, cars, patios and plants and grows a black sooty mold, and they can gather on trees and building sides in large, unsettling numbers in late summer and fall. For a Silver Spring homeowner, the practical impact is swarms on the property, honeydew mess, and the fellow fall-invader problem of insects clustering on the house.
What to do if you see one
Maryland's guidance is direct: if you see a spotted lanternfly, especially in an area not already known to be infested, it is worth reporting to the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and destroying the ones you can. In fall, check for egg masses, grayish, putty-like smears about an inch long, on tree trunks, outdoor furniture, firewood, vehicles and any flat surface, and scrape them off. Because the insect hitchhikes on cars, trailers and outdoor items, checking before you travel helps slow the spread under the quarantine.
Managing them on your property
There is no simple spray that eliminates spotted lanternflies from a yard, and treatment is best matched to the property. Removing the invasive tree-of-heaven that draws them, scraping egg masses in fall and winter, and targeted treatment of heavily used host trees are the main tools. Because lanternflies arrive alongside the broader fall invasion of stink bugs and lady beetles, sealing the house against overwintering pests matters here too. A local exterminator can assess the property and recommend a plan.
The bigger picture
The spotted lanternfly is a moving target, and the quarantine map and guidance change as it spreads, so the Maryland Department of Agriculture and University of Maryland Extension are the authorities to check for the latest. For homeowners, the takeaways are steady: identify and report it, scrape egg masses, reduce tree-of-heaven, and seal the house against the fall invaders it travels with. See the fall invaders guide and the general pest control page for the rest of the autumn lineup.
Sources and further reading: mda.maryland.gov, extension.umd.edu.
Call (240) 368-1945 for pest control across Silver Spring and Montgomery County.
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