Invasive lanternfly now in Illinois and what that means to our trees

The Illinois Department of Agriculture confirmed the first detection of spotted lanternfly in Illinois on Sept. 16.

Local officials coordinated a site visit in the area near the report and identified a moderately populated area of spotted lanternfly on Sept. 18 and confirmed the results on Tuesday. The spotted lanternfly does not present any human or animal health concerns.

“If there is a silver lining associated with spotted lantern fly in Illinois, it is that we have no reason to believe that widespread plant or tree death will result from its presence,” said Scott Schirmer, Illinois Department of Agriculture’s Nursery and Northern Field Office Section Manager. “This is likely going to be a nuisance pest that interferes with our ability to enjoy outdoor spaces and may have some impact on the agritourism industry, including orchards, pumpkin patches, and vineyards.”

Jerry Costello II, Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, said the spotted lanternfly has been inching closer to the Midwest and Illinois for close to a decade, and there has been a multi-agency team preparing for this scenario. This includes efforts on readiness, informing and educated the industry and the public, along with monitoring early detection.

The spotted lanternfly is an invasive plant hopper native to eastern Asia that was first found in the U.S. in southeastern Pennsylvania in 2014. They’ve since spread through the eastern US and now recently into the Midwest, with Indiana, Michigan and Ohio all reporting detections.

They feed on a wide variety of plants and have an affinity to the invasive tree of heaven, grapes and maple trees. Those plants should be targeted for monitoring activities. These flies produce honeydew while feeding, a sticky liquid that coats or accumulates on foliage and other parts of plants.

“IDOA is working with federal and local partners in an effort to determine the full extent of the infestation,” said Dr. Michael Woods, Division Manager of Natural Resources. “Although we cannot determine with any degree of certainty how spotted lanternfly has arrived here, efforts are being undertaken to better understand its movement and behavior.”

The spotted lanternfly moves easily on wood surfaces and products, vehicles like trains, outdoor articles and more, which makes these pests difficult to contain.

Those looking to help, should report sightings to lanternfly@illinois.edu, remove and destroy pests, check vehicles, and keep their eyes open and spread the word to the rest of the public.