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

COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — A recent social media post of a captured spotted lanternfly highlights the ongoing problem of the invasive pest in central Ohio.

The post, made by Matt Fisher in a Grandview Heights neighborhood group, alerted people to remain vigilant against the agricultural killer.

“Grandview residents be on the lookout for these Spotted Lanternflies,” Fisher wrote in the caption. “Found one in the backyard today.”

According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s website, the spotted lanternfly, or SLF, is currently in its adult stage and will remain active until winter. The adult SLF is described as “approximately one inch [in length], with black bodies and colorful red and grey wings with black markings.”

Beginning in October the SLF will lay eggs which can be identified as “small, grey masses protected by a waxy covering.” The egg masses can be found in “sheltered areas of trees, buildings, firewood, outdoor furniture, lawn equipment, and even rocks.”

The Ohio Department of Agriculture is working on slowing the spread by quarantine and monitoring. Twelve Ohio counties are under quarantine for the SLF including Belmont, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Erie, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Muskingum and Ottawa. Quarantine calls for inspecting outdoor items like furniture, grills, or mowers carefully for signs of the SLF before moving them to another area.

ODA asks people who see the SLF outside a quarantined county or evidence of its damage to report it by filling out the Ohio Plant Pest Reporter . A clear photo is required for submissions.

ODA shared this information on its website to help eliminate the SLF in Ohio:

Egg Masses
• Egg masses may be destroyed before nymphs emerge, reducing in nymphs the following season.
• Scraping egg masses with a knife or edge of a credit card into soapy water (dish soap works) or rubbing alcohol will kill the eggs.
• Egg masses may be treated with horticultural oils during winter months or before bud break in the spring.

Nymphs and Adult SLF
• When populations are low, acceptable control may be achieved by swatting or stomping nymphs and adults when you see them.
• Removing favored SLF hosts, some of which are invasive (tree of heaven and grapevine, for instance) can reduce SLF populations on your property.
• The use of lower toxicity insecticides such as horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps can provide control of nymphs and adults, with little residual activity. These products would likely need to be reapplied throughout the season.
• Contact insecticides such as bifenthrin, carbaryl and malathion may be used as spot treatments against SLF nymphs and adults. Repeat treatments may be necessary.
• Systemic insecticide treatments with dinotefuran or imidacloprid can be used as trunk sprays, trunk injections, or soil drenches depending on the label, and might provide more prolonged protection.

Special Management Notes
• Some products above might need to be applied by certified commercial pesticide applicators or require specialized application equipment.
• Protect Pollinators! Do not apply systemic insecticides when trees or shrubs are in flower, or if nearby flowering plants may take up pesticide (as in soil drenches).
• Use products labeled for control of spotted lanternflies in a manner consistent with the label. The Label is the Law!

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.