If your NEPA yard is suddenly full of spotted lanternflies, here is what to do right now: kill adults on sight, check your vehicles and outdoor items before traveling, and get ahead of egg-laying season, which begins in September.
August and September are the peak months for adult lanternflies in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and the eggs laid this fall become next summer’s swarm.
Why does an insect that cannot bite or sting deserve this attention? Because heavy infestations stress trees and vines, coat decks and patios in sticky honeydew that grows black sooty mold, and place legal responsibilities on residents and businesses inside Pennsylvania’s quarantine zone.
Our residential pest control team treats lanternfly infestations across NEPA, and this guide covers what actually works.
What Stage Are Spotted Lanternflies in Right Now?
Right now, in August and September, spotted lanternflies are in their adult stage. The black-and-red nymphs of early summer have become the inch-long, gray-winged adults with the distinctive red underwings, and they are feeding heavily, mating, and preparing to lay eggs.
Use this timeline to match your response to the insect’s calendar:
Spotted Lanternfly Life Cycle in NEPA: What to Do Each Season
| Months | Life Stage | What You Will See | What to Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| May to June | Early nymphs | Small black insects with white spots on plants | Swat or scrape into rubbing alcohol; treat heavy activity |
| July to August | Late nymphs, then adults | Red nymphs, then gray adults with red underwings | Kill on sight; schedule treatment of host trees |
| August to September | Adult surge | Swarms on tree-of-heaven, maples, decks, and walls | Peak treatment window; protect high-value trees |
| September to November | Egg laying | Gray, putty-like egg masses on bark, stone, vehicles | Scrape egg masses; check anything that moves or ships |
| December to April | Overwintering eggs | Egg masses only; no live insects | Keep scraping egg masses; each one destroyed prevents 30 to 50 hatchlings |
The scraping detail matters. Penn State Extension notes each egg mass contains roughly 30 to 50 eggs, so a few minutes with a plastic scraper this fall removes dozens of next year’s lanternflies.
Why Spotted Lanternflies Matter in NEPA
The spotted lanternfly is an invasive planthopper from Asia, first found in the United States in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 2014. It has since spread across the state, and Luzerne and Lackawanna counties sit inside Pennsylvania’s quarantine zone.
Three problems come with an infestation:
- Tree and plant stress: Lanternflies feed on sap from more than 70 plant species, with tree-of-heaven, maples, black walnut, willows, and grapevines among the favorites. Heavy feeding weakens trees and can devastate vineyards.
- Honeydew and sooty mold: As they feed, lanternflies excrete a sugary liquid called honeydew. It coats decks, patios, cars, and play equipment, attracts wasps and ants, and grows a black sooty mold that stains whatever it lands on.
- Quarantine obligations: The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s quarantine covers NEPA, which means residents and businesses have a legal role in stopping the spread.
Lanternflies join a line of invasive pests that have reshaped NEPA landscapes, much like the spongy moth outbreaks covered in our Gypsy Moth FAQ. The difference is that homeowners have a direct, practical role in lanternfly control every August through November.
What Actually Works Against Lanternflies Around Your Home?
The honest answer: mechanical destruction, egg mass removal, host tree management, and properly timed professional treatments. Here is each, with the how and why.
- Kill adults on sight: Stomping and swatting are legitimate tools. Lanternflies are quick, so aim slightly ahead of the insect; they tend to hop forward when startled.
- Scrape egg masses from September on: Use a plastic card or putty knife to scrape masses into a bag with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. Check tree bark, stone walls, outdoor furniture, grills, firewood, and wheel wells.
- Manage tree-of-heaven on your property: This invasive tree is the lanternfly’s preferred host. Removing it, or having it treated so it does not resprout, removes the anchor that concentrates lanternflies in a yard.
- Skip home remedies: Penn State Extension warns against dish soap sprays, vinegar, and homemade mixes in its management and pesticide safety guidance, because they can injure plants and pets without providing lasting control. Sticky bands on trees also need protective screening so they do not trap birds and squirrels.
- Professional treatments for heavy pressure: A licensed applicator can apply targeted treatments to the trunks of host trees, which controls the lanternflies that feed on them through the season. This is the effective option when swarms are landing faster than any household can stomp. If you have just spotted your first one, here is what to do.
What Do PA Quarantine Rules Require?
Living in the quarantine zone comes with two practical duties.
For residents: Check before you travel. Look over your vehicle, firewood, camping gear, outdoor furniture, and anything else stored outside before moving it out of the area, especially from September on, when egg masses can ride along on almost any hard surface. The state asks residents to destroy the lanternflies and egg masses they find and to report sightings outside known infestation areas.
For businesses: Any business that moves vehicles, equipment, or goods within or out of the quarantine zone needs a spotted lanternfly permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The permit certifies that the company trains its drivers and inspects loads, and details are on the state’s quarantine and permitting page linked above.
The reasoning is simple: lanternflies are weak long-distance fliers, and nearly all of their spread happens by hitchhiking on human transport. Compliance is what keeps NEPA from seeding new infestations elsewhere.
When Should You Call a Pro for Spotted Lanternflies?
Call a professional when lanternflies are swarming your trees or deck daily, when honeydew and sooty mold are accumulating, or when you have tree-of-heaven or high-value maples and ornamentals on the property. Timing matters: treatments applied during the August-September adult surge protect trees through egg-laying season, which is exactly when do-it-yourself methods fall furthest behind.
Every Pest Rangers technician is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and we treat lanternfly infestations on residential and commercial properties throughout the quarantine zone. Answers to common questions, from life stages to what the red wings mean, are in our Spotted Lanternfly FAQ, and you can request a free inspection to get a treatment plan for your property.
FAQs
Should I kill spotted lanternflies?
Yes. Pennsylvania officials ask residents to destroy spotted lanternflies and their egg masses. They are an invasive species with no meaningful natural predators here yet, and every adult killed before October is one that will not lay eggs.
Do spotted lanternflies bite or sting?
No. Spotted lanternflies do not bite or sting people or pets, and they do not infest homes the way ants or roaches do. Their damage is to trees, vines, and outdoor living spaces, where honeydew and sooty mold make decks and patios unusable.
What do spotted lanternfly egg masses look like?
Fresh egg masses look like a smear of gray putty or dried mud, about an inch long, laid on tree bark, stone, vehicles, and outdoor items from September into November. Each contains roughly 30 to 50 eggs. Scrape them into a bag with rubbing alcohol to destroy them.
Will spotted lanternflies kill my trees?
Heavy, repeated feeding stresses trees and can contribute to decline, and it is most damaging to grapevines, tree-of-heaven, and young or already stressed trees. Most healthy shade trees survive, but the honeydew, mold, and wasp activity around infested trees is reason enough to treat.
Is my town in the PA spotted lanternfly quarantine zone?
Most of NEPA is. Luzerne and Lackawanna counties are both in the quarantine, which now covers the majority of Pennsylvania counties. Check the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s quarantine map for the current list, and remember that businesses moving goods through the zone need a state permit.
