Spotted Lantern Fly

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – A statewide quarantine has been issued by the Ohio Department of Agriculture to thwart the spread of an invasive insect.

The quarantine prevents the transport of trees and nursery stock without a compliance agreement, permit or inspection certificate. it also requires producers to have their stock certified and inspected.

“The Spotted Lantern Fly is an invasive insect to Ohio, really to the United States,” Muskingum County OSU Extension Office Educator Clifton Martin said. “It originated in Asia, from the Asian continent. And it has been in the United States for about 10 years. Where we’ve had it in Ohio for about five or six. I’m aware of it in Muskingum County for about 5 years, a 5 year time frame. It’s a leaf hopper. So it doesn’t fly very well. You will see it fly but it’s not going to go great distances. So it’s a leaf hopper.”

The Spotted Lantern Fly is a type of aphid that primarily affects agricultural production by harming vineyards and orchards but they can also be an unwelcome nuisance for homeowners, especially ones growing peppers and tomatoes.

“For homeowners, you know we’re going to see it more and more,” Martin said. “It’s going to be… we’re going to see egg masses, we’re going to see nymphs, we’re going to see adults, we’re going to see kind of that whole life cycle. We’ll notice it most in the summer, summer through fall. So think June, July, clear up to… really the last frost is when we’re going to see it.”

For combatting the invasive pests, Martin suggests learning how to identify egg masses to scrape and crush them or by treating them with horticultural oils and soaps or household grade insecticides.