Spotted Lanternflies Are Back—We Asked an Expert What to Do When You See One (2025)

Some of us eagerly await summer every year, ready for days of sunshine, picnics, ice cream—and, perhaps not so eagerly, an influx of spotted lanternflies. If you live in the Midwest or East Coast of the United States, you’ve likely seen the insect with its spotted wings and red hindwings flying about or just sitting on the pavement.

The issue is that spotted lanternflies are invasive, meaning they are non-native to ecosystems in the U.S. With so many proliferating the region, what can we do?

We spoke to expert Dr. Kelly Oten, assistant professor and extension specialist at North Carolina State University, for her insight on all things spotted lanternflies—from how they damage plants to what to do when you see one (stomp or save?), and more.

Where and How Spotted Lanternflies Spread

All invasive spotted lanternflies are detected in the Eastern and Midwest regions of the United States, according to Dr. Oten. As such, they can be found across many states.

“They were first found in the U.S. in 2014 in southeastern Pennsylvania,” Dr. Oten says. "Since then, they have spread and can be sporadically found as far south as North Carolina and Tennessee, as far west as Illinois, as far north as New York, and as far east as Massachusetts.”

The way that spotted lanternflies spread, however, is not just due to their wings.

“While spotted lanternflies [can] fly short distances to new areas, the primary way they continue to spread is through accidental movement by people,” Dr. Oten explains. “Females can lay egg masses on a variety of objects—sometimes trees, but also manmade objects that may be moved, like vehicles, outdoor furniture, or brick and stone.”

Once they catch a ride, spotted lanternflies can easily be moved tens or even hundreds of miles in a single day, Dr. Oten notes.

“That's why it is always recommended—and in some cases, required by law—to inspect your vehicle before leaving an infested area.”

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The Harms of Spotted Lanternflies

Due to their invasive nature, spotted lanternflies can pose various harms to the environment — including plants.

“Spotted lanternflies use piercing mouthparts to pierce plant stems and feed on plant sap, weakening them,” Dr. Oten notes. “They feed on over 100 different species of plants, but of the highest importance in the U.S. are grapevines, as feeding can kill the vine of this economically important crop.”

Another less damaging, but still unhelpful, feature of spotted lanternflies is that they produce large amounts of honeydew, “resulting from the sugars and water they consume from the sap,” Dr. Oten says.

“This sweet and sticky excrement can attract stinging insects and facilitate the growth of sooty mold, a black fungus.” While sooty mold doesn't directly harm the tree, Dr. Oten notes, it is unsightly and in large amounts, could block sunlight. As for potential harm to pets, the verdict is still up.

“Spotted lanternflies can't bite or sting, so they aren't harmful in that sense,” Dr. Oten explains. “It's still unknown how harmful it could be if your pet eats them, though. Some reports indicate vomiting or loss of appetite can occur, but true toxicity is unknown.”

How to Manage Spotted Lanternflies

There are a couple different ways to go about managing spotted lanternflies. In the case that you see one walking around, the solution is quick and simple.

“If you find it in an area with a known infestation, then it is recommended to kill it through a variety of methods including squashing or swatting it,” Dr. Oten says.

This is especially true if you find the insects in your yard, as they are harmful to plants. Plus, female spotted lanternflies can lay several egg masses containing 30 to 50 eggs each, Dr. Oten notes. What's the best way to kill the insects then, when faced with an infestation?

“You could squash or swat them, but as planthoppers, they often escape those attempts pretty easily," Dr. Oten says.

There are also contact pesticides available that could be more efficient, Dr. Oten shares, but she also wants that they can be harmful to insects people aren't trying to kill.

However, she says, some have reported success setting out a tray of soapy water that attracts and kills the insects once they dive in.

“For those with tree-of-heaven—the insects’ preferred host—on their property, they can remove 90 percent of them and treat the remainder with an insecticide to be used as trap trees,” Dr. Oten elaborates.

The good news? Spotted lanternflies can't thrive indoors, so they won't last long if they get into your home and there are not many plants to feed on.

If you find the insect in an area where spotted lanternflies have not been detected, Dr. Oten recommends reporting it to your state’s agriculture department.