Spotted Lanternfly are pretty, little troublemakers. The invasive insect has the potential to cause a lot of damage in Ohio. (Photo courtesy ODA)

BY SHERI TRUSTY

Anyone who finds a Spotted Lanternfly egg mass should destroy it. (Photo courtesy of Bugwood.org)

OTTAWA COUNTY – There’s a pretty little insect that is making a lot of trouble in the U.S., and it’s wormed its way into Ottawa County. The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), which is native to Asia, was first identified in the U.S. in Butler County, Pennsylvania in 2014. It has made its way to Ohio, where its potential to cause agricultural harm has the Ohio Department of Agriculture on active alert.

SLF arrived in Pennsylvania as egg masses clinging to imported decorative stone. Unfortunately, as the eggs hatched, they found a nearby food source and were able to thrive. SLF are very mobile, so they spread easily. As adults, they can fly and jump, and they can hitchhike at any stage. They often travel by train, and they were first discovered in Toledo near railroad tracks.

SLF are nuisance insects that should be destroyed at every stage. They have the potential to cause great agricultural harm and could impact Ottawa County vineyards, beehives and backyards.

“Their second favorite host is wild grapes and vineyards,” said Lucas County OSU Extension Educator, Amy K. Stone. “They also feed on hops and maple trees. More research is being done, but one person experienced a 40% reduction in sap coming off sugar bush when Spotted Lanternflies were present.”

SLF’s excrement is called honeydew. It is a sticky, syrupy substance attractive to honeybees, wasps and hornets.

“Spotted Lanternflies are prolific honeydew producers. When honeybees feed on the honeydew, it affects the color and taste of the honey,” Stone said.

Stone said the honey is still usable and edible, and at least one Pennsylvania beekeeper is marketing the honey as a specialty product, promoting the smokey flavor that comes when honeybees feast on SPL excrement. While some people like SPL honey, others say it has an unpleasant, plastic taste.

Spotted Lanternfly are pretty, little troublemakers. The invasive insect has the potential to cause a lot of damage in Ohio. (Photo courtesy ODA)

SLF can impact homeowners if their property becomes infested with the insects. Honeydew can drop profusely from trees covered in SLF.

“In a heavy infestation, it can look like it’s raining or misting under the tree when they are feeding. Most people don’t want to be outdoors when they’re around,” Stone said. “They pose a possible threat to newly-planted trees. They’re not a killer like the Emerald Ash Borer, but they are a pest of concern.”

The cold weather has killed all of the adult SLF in Ohio, but the egg masses can overwinter, and Ohioans walking outdoors are encouraged to destroy any egg masses they encounter by scraping them off their host surface into soapy water or rubbing alcohol. Surviving eggs will hatch as nymphs in the spring, and the spread of SLF will continue. Adult SLF that will reemerge next summer should be killed by swatting them or stepping on them.

Campaigns to eliminate SLF are being organized in the region, and volunteers will visit local vineyards in search of evidence of SLF.

“They scraped over 100,000 egg masses in Virginia. We’re trying to do the same thing in Ohio,” Stone said. “We want to work with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Garden Clubs, HOAs, and others.”

Some OSU Extension staff focus on vineyards, including Dr. Ashley Leach, an Assistant Professor of Specialty Crop Entomology. She utilizes environmental DNA identification resources for early detection and rapid response.

“It’s exciting, the tools that help with detection,” Stone said.

Ottawa County is one of a handful of Ohio counties under SLF quarantine in an attempt to quell its spread. According to the Ohio Dept. of Ag, counties under quarantine are not permitted to move products such as trees and nursery stock out of the area without a compliance agreement, permit or inspection. The quarantine can affect the sale of Christmas trees.

The Ohio Dept. of Ag is aggressively addressing the SLF problem, and they need the community’s help to succeed.

“It’s probably going to get worse before it gets better,” Stone said.

For more information on Spotted Lanternfly, including a link to a Spotted Lanternfly Homeowner Management Guide, visit https://agri.ohio.gov/divisions/plant-health/invasive-pests/invasive-insects/slf. For more information on the SLF quarantine area, visit https://agri.ohio.gov/home/news-and-events/all-news/oda-expands-spotted-lanternfly-quarantine-5-2025.