New Jersey is warning people of the infestation and is asking residents to kill them if they show up at home.
Eight western counties including Camden, Burlington, Gloucester and Salem have seen the bug over the last year or so, according to New Jersey Agriculture Secretary Doug Fisher. In fact, the state has treated more than 19,000 acres where large infestations have turned up mostly on trees of heaven. Spotted lanternflies like them.
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“We want people to, if they see them, to destroy them,” Fisher told KYW Newsradio. “We don’t take that lightly but that’s what needs to be done because they are unstoppable. If they keep breeding, they’ll just keep spreading.”
And next month is mating season. They don’t fly far but hitchhike, if you will, on cars. If you see something strange on any tree on your property, that could be the start of a problem.
“If there’s a little powdery spread on the tree then just remove it, scrape it off with a credit card and that’s a whole colony that’s not going to spread,” Fisher added.
Make sure you dump that powder in a couple of plastic bags and tie them up before throwing them out.
The state is offering help for those with large infestations. You can e-mail the Department of Agriculture at or call 609-406-6943 for more information.
Should the eggs hatch and you see the lanternflies on your trees, there are chemicals that could be carefully used. Click here for a list.