Spotted lanternfly reported in Western NC: How to help prevent 'huge ecological impact'

August and September are some of the most active months for the invasive spotted lanternfly — and while they may be a big issue in Pennsylvania and its neighboring states, North Carolina is no stranger to the insects.

Amy Michael, entomological programs manager at the NC Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services, told the Citizen Times that, while there aren't a huge amount of lanternflies in N.C., residents of the state should keep an eye out. Tree of Heaven and China Berry plants are two of the insects' favorites; they've also become invasive in N.C. And that's not all that spotted lanternflies would chow down on.

"It also feeds on over 100 other species of plants," Michael said. "So, it'll also go after a lot of our natives, like maples and roses. It'll also go after fruit trees, like apples and other stone fruit. Unfortunately, there's just a lot to keep it going."

Here's what to know about the invasive insects and how you can help prevent infestations from spreading.

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Where are lanternflies found?

The spotted lanternfly was first found in the U.S. in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 2014. It has since spread, but Pennsylvania is still infested with the insects, with 51 of the state's 67 counties in a quarantine zone that mandates many transportation-based businesses obtain special permits requiring employee training on spotting the insects.

Though largely found in the Northeast, lanternflies have steadily invaded other areas including N.C. and some of its neighbors.

See the map below for the states that have reported spotted lanternflies.

Are spotted lanternflies in Asheville, Western NC?

According to the NCDA, the first and only population of spotted lanternflies in N.C. was found in Forsyth County near the border with Guilford County in June 2022.

However, individual finds of the insects have been made in many other areas including Raleigh and Charlotte, plus Buncombe, Henderson and Transylvania counties. Michael said to be aware — but not to panic.

"The spotted lanternfly is an insect that's really good at hitchhiking at any life stage," Michael said. "They can't take off from the ground well on their own, so they tend to climb up vehicles, because they can't tell them apart from trees."

Often, this means that a single insect may be transported across state lines. For this reason, one bug isn't generally a real worry. Infestations like the one in Forsyth are a different story entirely.

"An infestation, for NCDA perspective, at least, is what we would consider an established population that we're not able to easily get rid of," Michael said.

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Are spotted lanternflies dangerous to humans?

Michael said that, while spotted lanternflies don't bite humans, they certainly aren't pleasant to have around. The insects can be toxic to pets who ingest them, and leave eggs and sooty mold on outdoor furniture, trees and more.

Additionally, while their buzz is worse than their bite, large amounts of lanternflies may bring more up close and personal contact with the bugs than you may be comfortable with.

"They are very clumsy flyers, and so they tend to get stuck in people's hair and clothing," Michael said.

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Why are spotted lanternflies an issue?

So if they aren't harmful to humans, what's so bad about the spotted lanternfly?

Lanternflies eat a variety of fruit, ornamental and woody trees such as black walnut, tree-of-heaven, grape, red maple, silver maple, weeping willow and black willow. This affects a number of industries in the U.S. including wine production, fruit trees, ornamentals and lumber.

Michael made it clear that the consequences of lanternfly populations growing in N.C. could be dire due to this appetite, and to other destructive traits of the insects.

"They don't have any natural enemies here, so they get to huge numbers," Michael said. "And when they feed on plants, they're basically expelling the extra sugar water, so everything underneath it can get moldy. That mold can block out the ability of the understory plants to perform photosynthesis, so it can have huge ecological impact."

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What should I do if I see a lanternfly?

In some areas with established infestations of spotted lanternflies, the best course of action is to kill any insects you see. In N.C., however, this isn't the best move most of the time.

The NCDA requests that N.C. residents who see spotted lanternflies take photos and fill out a report at www.ncagr.gov/SLF . Michael also said that, if possible, capturing the insect can help.

"For any new county detection of any live insects, they would need to go through multiple identifiers to confirm that that's really what we're dealing with," Michael said. "So, keeping them in the freezer is a really good way to do that, and it makes it easier to photograph them too."

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Spotted lanternfly reported in Western NC: How to help prevent 'huge ecological impact'