Spotted lanternfly in Ohio: What to do if you see one

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CLEVELAND (WJW) — The spotted lanternfly nymph seen by a FOX 8 News reporter Thursday in downtown Cleveland is a reminder that the invasive and damaging pests are here to stay in Ohio.

If you see one, the U.S. Department of Agriculture wants you to kill it .

The invasive planthoppers hail from Asia, and were first discovered in Ohio in 2020, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture. They feed on plants, causing them to wilt and leaving them more susceptible to disease. They also produce a sugary liquid that isn’t just unsightly — it can also spread a plant-choking fungus that can ruin harvests.

If left unchecked, they pose a real risk to the nation’s grape, orchard and logging industries, according to the USDA.

Cuyahoga, Erie, Lorain and several other Ohio counties were quarantined in 2021 to slow the spread of the bug. Anyone living in those counties needs to take extra care when moving firewood, branches or outdoor items out of the county. They can’t fly very far on their own, but can move long distances quickly by hitchhiking.

Their egg masses, typically laid in fall, can be found on flat surfaces including tree trunks, fences, rocks or cars. They’re light gray and “covered by a mud-like substance,” according to ODNR. They should be crushed flatly and scraped away into a container of hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol to ensure the eggs die.

But first, take a photo of them and report their location to the agriculture department’s Plant Pest Control Section at 614-728-6400, plantpest@agri.ohio.gov or via the Great Lakes Early Detection Network mobile app .

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