Perhaps you’ve heard something about the spotted lanternfly. It’s an invasive leafhopper that we first discovered near Reading in Berks County in 2014. Since then, it’s spread from that epicenter to nearby counties and then farther yet. Last week the Penn State Extension in Carbon received two calls reporting spotted lanternfly in Summit Hill and in Mahoning Township.

The spotted lanternfly primarily attacks woody plants, but has also been reported on hops, fruit such as grapes and apples, and on landscape trees.

The adults emerge in late July and are active until frost. They lay gray egg masses on various surfaces including cars, rocks, foundations, outdoor furniture and on tree bark, firewood and picnic tables. Because of the gray color of the egg masses, it’s easy to miss them unless you’re looking for them.

Spotted lanternfly is capable of causing serious damage to trees, including sap wounds that allow other pests and microbes a way to get into the tree.

The insect pierces and sucks sap and excretes honeydew that encourages black mold. Like the gypsy moth, the spotted lanternfly can seriously weaken a tree and cause it to decline.

Penn State and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture are recommending egg scraping and tree banding as the first line of defense for homeowners. If you have Tree of Heaven on your property, it is a preferred host for spotted lanternfly and should be destroyed.

For more information, here is a link to a Penn State Web page that tells you how to manage spotted lanternfly: https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly-management-for-homeowners.

You can report sightings online, or call Penn State Extension at 570-325-2788 and give your contact information to the secretary so a Master Gardener can call you back. Here is the link: https://extension.psu.edu/have-you-seen-a-spotted-lanternfly.

We’ve lost too many trees to invasive insects like emerald ash borer and gypsy moth. Let’s get on top of this one before it spreads even farther.