Spotted lanternfly season has returned to the Philadelphia region, making it the perfect time to step up your stomping game and stay alert for spotted lanternfly egg masses to destroy, write Mike D’Onofrio and Chrissy Suttles for AXIOS.
The Asia-native, polka-dotted bugs were first spotted in Pennsylvania in 2014 in Berks County and have since spread throughout the state. Currently, all but 11 out of 67 counties are under quarantine.
The invasive pest threatens local vineyards, hops, and nurseries. It also leaves behind a sticky residue, which encourages mold growth and draws stinging insects.
Since spotted lanternflies are now mature, the best way to stop them from spreading is to squash them and scrape their egg masses into a plastic bag filled with hand sanitizer.
“If you can conveniently kill them, kill them,” said Brian Walsh, a Penn State Extension lanternfly researcher. “But it’s most important to not take them somewhere else.”
Spotted lanternfly sightings have declined across the region in recent years. Philadelphia recorded 264 sightings last year, down 14 percent. Bucks County had 22 sightings, compared to 73 in 2023, and Montgomery County reported 64, down from 171.
For a closer look at why sightings are dropping and what experts say still needs to happen to keep the invasive pest in check, read the full Axios report.
_____
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on VISTA.Today in July 2025.
