Here’s how it kills:

Pierces tree bark with a needle-like mouthpart

Sucks sap from stems, branches, and trunks

Excretes honeydew — a sticky, sugary waste

That honeydew isn’t just gross.


It’s toxic to plants.


It coats leaves and bark, then breeds sooty mold — a thick, black fungus that:


Blocks sunlight

Chokes photosynthesis

Weakens trees

Attracts wasps, ants, and other pests

And within weeks, once-healthy trees look like they’ve been scorched.


🍇 Which Plants Are at Risk?

This bug doesn’t pick favorites.


It attacks over 70+ plant species, including:


Grapevines (devastating to wineries)

Fruit trees (apple, peach, cherry)

Maple, walnut, and birch trees

Ornamental plants and backyard shrubs

And the worst part?


It doesn’t kill the tree right away. 


It weakens it slowly — making it vulnerable to disease, drought, and winter die-off.


And once an area is infested?


The damage spreads fast. 


🔍 How to Identify a Spotted Lanternfly

Adult (July–December)

About 1 inch long

Gray wings with black spots

Bright red underwings with black bands

Flies in short, fluttering bursts

Often seen on tree trunks, stones, or walls

Nymph (May–September)

Young: Black with white spots

Older: Bright red with black and white stripes

Jump like fleas

Found on leaves, stems, and ground cover

Eggs (September–June)

Laid in gray, mud-like patches

About the size of a quarter

On tree trunks, rocks, vehicles, outdoor furniture

Each mass contains 30–50 eggs

💡 Pro Tip: Check your car, bike, or firewood before moving — lanternflies travel by hitchhiking.


🚫 Why You Should Never Let It Live

You might think:


“It’s just one bug.”

“It’s not hurting anything.” 


But here’s the truth:


One female can lay up to 500 eggs per season

Infestations grow exponentially

There are no natural predators in the U.S.

No effective widespread pesticide

This isn’t about cruelty.


It’s about ecological defense.


Every lanternfly you kill is hundreds of trees saved.


✅ How to Kill It (Humanely & Effectively)

1. Step on It

Yes, really.

Carry a shoe or trowel with you.

See it?

Squish it.


2. Use Rubbing Alcohol

Drop it into a container with 70% isopropyl alcohol — kills instantly.


3. Scrape Off Egg Masses

Use a plastic card or putty knife

Scrape eggs into a bag

Soak in alcohol or hand sanitizer before tossing

Never just scrape and leave — eggs can survive.


🛡️ How to Protect Your Yard

Inspect trees monthly

Catch nymphs and adults early

Remove Tree of Heaven

(

Ailanthus altissima

)

Lanternfly’s favorite host

Use sticky bands

on tree trunks

Trap nymphs climbing up

Report sightings

Help state agencies track spread


📌 Report to your state’s agriculture department or use the Spotted Lanternfly App.


🧠 Final Thoughts: Sometimes the Most Beautiful Things Are the Most Dangerous

We’re taught to respect nature.

To leave bugs alone.

To coexist.


But the spotted lanternfly isn’t part of our ecosystem.


It’s an invader.

A parasite.

A silent killer of trees, crops, and backyards.


So next time you see a gray bug with red wings perched on your favorite tree…


Don’t admire it.


Don’t photograph it.


Destroy it.


Because sometimes, the best way to love nature…


Is to protect it — one squish at a time.


And once you know the damage it causes?


You’ll never let a lanternfly live.