THE SPOTTED LANTERNFLY

The spotted lanternfly has made its way to Crofton. They have recently been spotted at Historic Linthicum Walks. 

The University of Maryland Extension advises to pause before you spray. There are important considerations:

• Spotted Lanternfly is mainly a nuisance pest in residential gardens and landscapes and has not been shown to significantly damage otherwise healthy ornamental plants.
• Spraying pesticides, including home remedies, can do more harm than good when it comes to spotted lanternfly in residential greenspaces. Any chemicals can potentially harm pollinators and beneficial insects.
• Consider more sustainable management options or leaving spotted lanternflies for predators to feed on.
• This pest does not bite or sting. Spotted lanternfly has piercing-sucking mouthparts and feeds on plant sap from a wide range of plants including grapes, hops, apples, stone fruits, maples, walnuts, and other plant species. Its feeding has not killed plants (except for grapes). It is primarily a threat to Maryland's agricultural crops. 

All Maryland residents, from any county, are urged to report sightings of spotted lanternfly to the Maryland Department of Agriculture. This data is important for tracking phenology and population levels. Questions or concerns about this pest can be submitted to UMD Ask Extension, by email to [email protected], or call (410) 841-5920.

For more information on spotted lanternfly in home gardens, click the button below.

UMD EXTENSION • SPOTTED LANTERNFLY IN HOME GARDENS