Lanternflies on the Loose: What NY & NJ Homeowners Need to Know — and How Weed Patrol Can Help

If you’ve spotted colorful, moth-like insects hop-gliding around your yard lately, you’ve likely met the spotted lanternfly (SLF). Since first hitchhiking into Pennsylvania in 2014, this invasive pest has marched steadily north and east, and both New York and New Jersey are now under statewide quarantines aimed at slowing its spread.

Left unchecked, lanternflies drain sap from trees and ornamentals, then rain down sticky “honeydew” that attracts sooty mold. The mess weakens plants, invites other insects, and can even mat down nearby turf. Here’s what every homeowner should know this season.

1. Spot the Signs

Life Stage	When You’ll See It	What It Looks Like
Egg masses	Fall – early spring	Tan-gray smears on bark, patio furniture, trailers—really any outdoor surface
Nymphs	Late spring – mid-summer	Start black with white dots, then turn red-and-black before adulthood
Adults	July – first hard frost	1″ long, gray forewings with black spots; bright-red hindwings flash when they leap

Because SLF eggs stick to virtually anything, they travel easily on cars, firewood, and lawn equipment—giving the pest a free ride to new neighborhoods.

2. Why Your Landscape Cares

Lanternflies favor tree-of-heaven, maples, fruit trees, and grapevines, but they’ll tap just about any woody plant for a sugar rush. Repeated feeding stunts growth, yellows leaves, and makes branches more vulnerable to other pests or drought. Their honeydew encourages black mold that can block photosynthesis on grass blades, leaving patchy turf below.

3. Simple Homeowner Action Steps

1. Scrape & destroy egg masses. Use a stiff card or putty knife to push each mass into a container of alcohol or soapy water.

2. Stomp or swat adults and nymphs. Every one you squash prevents dozens more next season.

3. Use sticky bands carefully. Wrap tree trunks June–August to catch crawling nymphs (cover tape with screen or chicken wire so birds don’t get stuck).

4. Power-wash honeydew. A quick rinse of trunks, decks, and patio furniture keeps mold from setting in.

5. Inspect vehicles before trips. Check wheel wells, roof racks, and trailers so you don’t unintentionally spread the pest.

   
   

4. Need Backup? Weed Patrol Has You Covered

While those DIY steps make a dent, large populations often require professional attention—especially if high-value trees, vines, or ornamentals are at stake. Weed Patrol now offers lanternfly treatments that fit seamlessly alongside your regular lawn or pest-control services. If you’re seeing more lanternflies than you can handle, just give us a call or reply to this post and we’ll walk you through next steps.

Bottom Line

Lanternflies won’t level a healthy tree overnight, but they multiply fast and create a sticky, sooty mess in the meantime. Scraping eggs, squashing bugs, and scheduling a professional checkup early go a long way toward protecting your landscape—and your neighbors’.