Help stop the spread of spotted lanternflies

The invasive spotted lanternfly can cause damage to many plants and has been detected in a few Tennessee counties.

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

Spotted lanternflies are more than a nuisance: in heavy numbers, they can stress and damage trees and vines by piercing and sucking sap, and the sticky “honeydew” they excrete can coat trunks, fruit, and leaves – fueling sooty mold that weakens plants and makes them more vulnerable to other pests and diseases. That’s why Tennessee officials and UT Extension are urging residents to help stop the spread now, before the spring hatch.

Although the invasive insect has only been confirmed in a handful of Tennessee counties, everyone can help by scouting for and destroying egg masses before they hatch.

Spotted lanternfly is native to China, India, and Vietnam and was first detected in the U.S. in Pennsylvania in 2014. In Tennessee, the Department of Agriculture confirmed it in Davidson County in 2023, and it has also been confirmed in Wilson, Sumner, Hamilton, Jefferson, Sullivan, and Knox counties as of late 2025.

When and Where to Look

Adult female spotted lanternflies lay egg masses from September through November, not only on host plants but on many smooth outdoor surfaces – railroad ties, rocks, lumber, firewood, downed limbs, logs, and equipment. Those egg masses can survive winter cold, and tiny nymphs (first instars) begin emerging in spring, with eggs starting to hatch near the end of March.

Nymphs develop through spring and early summer, then become adults around early June. Early instars feed on a wide range of plants; later instars and adults prefer tree-of-heaven, along with grapes, black walnut, silver maple, red maple, and willow.

Why Prevention Matters

“The best way to control spotted lanternfly outbreaks is to prevent them,” said Midhula Gireesh, assistant professor and University of Tennessee Extension specialist in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. She recommends carefully inspecting items stored outdoors – especially firewood and lumber – before they’re moved, shipped, or accepted.

What egg masses look like
Egg masses typically contain up to 60 eggs. They’re brown and usually covered by a gray, waxy coating arranged in rows. As the coating weathers, it can break down, exposing the eggs.

How to destroy egg masses (properly)
Gireesh recommends using a scraper card or an old credit card to scrape egg masses into a container filled with soapy water or hand sanitizer, then crush the eggs. Crushing matters: eggs can still hatch if they’re simply scraped off and left on the ground. Also, crush any nymphs or adults you find.