Spotted Lanternfly
The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is a planthopper from China with spotted gray forewings and hidden red hindwings. First detected in Pennsylvania in 2014, it has spread across the eastern United States.
The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is a planthopper from China with spotted gray forewings and hidden red hindwings. First detected in Pennsylvania in 2014, it has spread across the eastern United States.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Spotted Lanternfly in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Ecdysozoa lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
Sap Feeders and Sooty Mold
The insects suck sap from more than a hundred plant species, with a strong preference for the tree-of-heaven (also an invader from China) and grapevines. Their sugary excretion, honeydew, coats leaves and fosters sooty mold.
Spread by People
Egg masses laid on vehicles, firewood and outdoor goods carry the insect over long distances. Quarantine zones require inspection of vehicles and goods leaving infested areas. Residents are asked to scrape egg masses and kill adults.
A Hidden Flash of Red
The vivid red hindwings, revealed in flight or a threat, are probably a warning signal. The insect is a good example of how an introduced species can spread fast without natural enemies.
Spotted Lanternfly at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Lycorma delicatula |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Hemiptera |
| Family | Fulgoridae |
| Field Guide group | Ecdysozoa: Hexapoda (Insects) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Gray spotted forewings that flash red hindwings when it jumps; pierces tree bark to drink sap. |
| Order | Hemiptera |
| First US record | Pennsylvania, 2014 |