There’s still time to help stop spotted lanternfly in Fairfax County before they turn into adults. On your next outdoor excursion, try looking for some nymphs of these invasive insects.
This month (June), spotted lanternflies are still in the young “nymph” stage (black with white spots) and are small enough to squash without too much of the “ick” factor. But these invasive insects love to jump, so a vacuum can be a handy tool.
- Urban foresters from our Department of Public Works and Environmental Services predict that nymphs will start to form red spots in a few weeks, and will become adult spotted lanternflies starting in July.
- Vacuuming or squashing nymphs are the easiest ways to reduce the population of spotted lanternfly, without using pesticide.
If you spot a nymph (pictured below), you can help stop it from becoming a mess and a problem for trees. These nuisance pests have mostly completed hatching and can be within a few feet of the ground on herbaceous plants, according to our urban foresters.
What to Look for
The glossy black nymphs currently have white dots and are about the size of a pea in most parts of Fairfax County. In the next few weeks, they will grow larger and will also develop red dots. They can be hard to find because they often hide on the underside of leaves and stems.
Do Your Part
Vacuuming or squashing spotted lanternfly nymphs is the best way to help stop the spread of spotted lanternfly without using pesticides. Pesticides can harm beneficial insects and wildlife.
Spotted lanternfly are non-native nuisance pests, first seen in Fairfax County in 2022. They can be damaging to new sprouts and young plantings. As summer goes on they will also begin to make a sticky mess, so it's in everyone's best interest to take care of problems at your home as early as possible.
“Soapy water can also be used as a spray to slow down and often kill spotted lanternfly nymphs, and anything collected in your vacuum can be dumped in to a bucket of soapy water if squashing them is not an option. This method is great for stopping nymphs on surfaces like patio furniture, playsets and other outdoor items.” says Urban Forester Rachel Habig-Myers of Fairfax County’s Urban and Community Forestry Division. “Add 1/4 cup of liquid dish soap or castile soap to one quart of water and use as a spray or knock them into a bucket of the same concentration. Be careful around plants, water bodies and soil. Soap can cause negative impacts to water quality and might burn green plants, so spray carefully. Populations of spotted lanternfly can be found all over Fairfax County and should be expected in abundance this year.”
Spotted lanternfly nymphs like to jump just like adults, only they can jump as far because they are smaller. Now is a great time to go looking for them, before they get much bigger and even springier.
More Information
To learn more about spotted lanternfly, visit Fairfax County’s Urban and Community Forestry Division’s spotted lanternfly information webpage.
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