The spotted lantern fly (SLF) is an invasive insect originally from South East Asia. It feeds on tree and shrub sap and eventually can kill their host. The SLF was originally introduced into the US in 2014 in Berks County, Pennsylvania apparently attached to imported stone. The SLF nymph is about 1 inch long has distinctive red spots (first image below with nymph and adult with wings closed); the adult SLF has distinctive red patches on its wings when the wings are spread (see second image below). Third image is of an infested tree. The whole northeast of the US is now infested with SLF’s. Locally, the Meadows and the Rutgers Ecological Preserve are infested. They have been reported in all of the neighborhoods of Highland Park. The preferred host is the Tree of Heaven (an introduced species of tree) but is known known to attack at least 70 species of trees, shrubs, and fruit vines in the US.
NJ Department of Agriculture had recommended that the nymph and adults be crushed or collected in bags, sealed, and place in the trash.
At this point time, mid September, there are only adult SLF’s around. The female adults are laying eggs masses on trees. NJ Department of Agriculture recommends that the egg masses be scraped off and disposed of in the trash alternately the egg masses can be treated with paraffinic and/or mineral oils
Further information can be found about the Spotted Lantern Fly at the following URL’s:
https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/pests-diseases/spotted-lanternfly/
https://njaes.rutgers.edu/spotted-lanternfly/
https://www.dailyrecord.com/story/news/2021/08/31/spotted-lanternfly-nj-quarantine-list/5661658001/
https://www.dailyrecord.com/story/news/2021/08/31/spotted-lanternfly-nj-quarantine-list/5661658001/
