Stop the Spread of Spotted Lanternfly

hundreds of spotted lanternfly sitting on a tire in a wheel well
Numerous spotted lanternfly nymphs congregating on top of tire inside wheel well of truck. Photo: PA Department of Agriculture.
person inspecting undercarriage of truck with flashlight
Inspecting undercarriage of truck with flashlight. Photo: USDA Flickr.

Spotted lanternflies are common hitchhikers at all life stages, but adults and egg masses are most commonly moved. Adults will fly into open windows of vehicles, into picking bins, and into the back of trucks while they are being loaded; eggs can be found on almost any outdoor surface.

Transportation by human activity is the most common form of movement and the main reason spotted lanternfly populations have spread significant distances.

Reduce the Risk of Spotted Lanternfly Hitchhikers

Moving an outdoor item that unknowingly has an egg mass to a new location is a common way spotted lanternflies spread to a new location. Common items on which egg masses have been laid include firewood, motor homes, recreational vehicles, building materials, and even kiddie pools. To reduce the risk of these hitchhiking pests, the NYSIPM Program has created a spotted lanternfly checklist to use when visiting an area with known populations of Spotted Lanternfly. Use the list below or download our printable Spotted Lanternfly Checklist (pdf) to go.

spotted lanternfly egg masses on a rusty barrel

It is common to see spotted lanternfly egg masses on rusted metal. Photo: Lawrence Barringer, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org.

brown lumpy area on a tree trunk that matches the color of the tree

Camouflaged spotted lanternfly egg mass on bark. Photo: Kenneth R. Law, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org.

brownish raised lumps on a cinder block

Spotted lanternfly egg masses on stone.
Spotted lanternfly egg masses on stone. Photo: PA Department of Agriculture.

Where to look for egg masses, adults, and nymphs.

  • Any plant material: yard waste, brush, nursery stock
  • Bar-b-que grills and covers 
  • Boats and trailers
  • Construction waste 
  • Firewood including logs & stumps
  • Landscape tiles and stones
  • Lawnmowers and mowing decks
  • Mobile fire pits
  • Motor homes
  • Outdoor furniture and covers
  • Recreational vehicles
  • Tarps 
  • Trailers
  • Wooden crates and boxes
  • Backpacks 
  • Basketball backboards
  • Bicycles 
  • Campers 
  • Canopies
  • Children’s playhouses 
  • Ice chests
  • Kiddie pools
  • Motorcycles
  • playground equipment
  • Sandboxes
  • Snowmobiles
  • Tents
  • Bricks/cinder blocks
  • Glass
  • Lumber
  • Metal 
  • Pipes
  • Plastic
  • Roofing material
  • Skidsteers/forklifts
  • Tools and toolboxes
  • Workbenches
     
  • Backhoes
  • Barrels
  • Cardboard 
  • Dog houses, rabbit sheds, chicken coops
  • Farm tractors & equipment
  • Fencing
  • Garden carts
  • Garden tillers
  • Garden tools
  • Plant containers
  • Poles and stakes
  • Propane or oil tanks
  • Shutters
  • Signs and posts
  • Storage sheds
  • Trash cans
  • Yard decorations