Spotted Lanternfly

Spotted Lanternfly; Photo Credit, Emelie Swackhamer, Penn State University, Bugwood.org

Spotted Lanternfly; Photo Credit, Richard Gardner, Bugwood.org

Fall is the perfect time to scout for Spotted Lanternfly (SLF). This exotic invasive insect has not been found in Nebraska. But the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) encourages everyone to keep an eye out for this pest.

In the fall, adults will aggregate on tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima). So an easy way to scout for this pest is to check the trunks of tree-of-heaven for these large, colorful insects.

The adult SLF is about 1” in length, with gray forewings. These wings have black spots at the upper half and narrow black rectangles on the lower half. The underwings are red with black wingtips.

There is concern that this pest is spreading in the northeast (currently found in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia), and it may move on nursery stock. As with any exotic, invasive pest, early detection is key to effective control.

Be vigilant in keeping an eye open for invaders like SLF. If you think you’ve seen an SLF, take pictures or collect a specimen, and report your suspicions to your NDA Entomology Inspector, or contact Julie Van Meter, NDA Entomology Program Manager/State Entomologist at 402-471- 6847 or Julie.vanmeter@nebraska.gov .