Why invasive spotted lanternflies are thriving in the US Researchers are getting a better understanding of why spotted lanternflies have been thriving since their invasion into the U.S.

Despite low genetic diversity from a single introduction, the #SpottedLanternfly is thriving in the U.S. Researchers say its preadaptation to city habitats and high reproductive output has helped fuel its rapid spread.

Read more: abcnews.com/US/invasive-...

#InvasiveSpecies #Entomology 🧪🌍🍁

Spotted lanternfly nymphs on a tree branch. Credit: Eric R. Day, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bugwood.org

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has confirmed established #SpottedLanternfly populations in Davidson, Rowan and Caswell counties, bringing the state’s total to seven affected counties.

Read more: www.ncagr.gov/news/press-r... #Entomology 🧪🌍🍁

Spotted lanternflies. Image Credit: Shutterstock – Eric Dale

#Lanternflies have low #GeneticDiversity but possess the right #genes to take over cities. In PNAS Journal Club: https://ow.ly/Kvuh50YlV85

#SpottedLanternfly #InvasiveSpecies #evolution #adaptation #Natural Selection #PestManagement

Feb. 23-27 is National Invasive Species Week. At MUC, we're all about promoting biodiversity of native plants and animals, and reducing harmful invasives. Here are four species wreaking havoc around Mass.

#spottedlanternfly #japaneseknotweed #biodiversity #invasivespeciesweek

On the cover of @royalsociety.org and in the @nytimes.com! Our new paper on #spottedlanternfly led by PhD student @fallonmeng.bsky.social suggests evolution in urban environments is the secret behind this species invasion success
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/s...

Bees Are Turning the Sticky-Sweet Secretions of Spotted Lanternflies Into Honey—and Some People Love the Smoky-Smelling Stuff The invasive insects have been spreading across the United States for over a decade, leaving behind poop that bees are transforming into a less sweet, sometimes savory, honey

Bees are turning #SpottedLanternfly honeydew into a seasonal honey. It’s darker, sometimes smoky or savory and safe to eat, but experts still urge the public to control lanternfly populations.

Learn more about it here: www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/b... #InvasiveSpecies #Entomology 🧪🌍🍁

Spotted lanternfly may use ‘toxic shield’ to fend off bird predators | Penn State University Spotted lanternflies may season themselves to the distaste of potential bird predators, according to a new study led by entomologists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

New research from Penn State suggests spotted lanternflies feeding on tree of heaven may become distasteful to birds, potentially reducing predation.

Read more here: www.psu.edu/news/agricul... #SpottedLanternfly #InvasiveSpecies #Entomology 🧪🌍🍁

French Scientists Warn Spotted Lanternfly Could Devastate European Vineyards Researchers urge early detection and vigilance as invasive pest threatens to follow U.S. path and damage Europe’s wine industry

FYI: French Scientists Warn Spotted Lanternfly Could Devastate European Vineyards #SpottedLanternfly #InvasiveSpecies #EuropeanVineyards #WineIndustry #PestControl

French Scientists Warn Spotted Lanternfly Could Devastate European Vineyards Researchers urge early detection and vigilance as invasive pest threatens to follow U.S. path and damage Europe’s wine industry

French Scientists Warn Spotted Lanternfly Could Devastate European Vineyards #SpottedLanternfly #InvasiveSpecies #WineIndustry #VineyardProtection #EuropeanWines

American Illustration 44 winner CHELSEA BECK @chelseabeck.psd
@timberpress.bsky.social
#author: Ryan Mandelbau
Interior illustration for WILD NYC -- an (at times, lightly humorous)
#illustration #fieldguide #newyork #birding #spottedlanternfly

A Tale of Two Invaders: Tree of Heaven and Spotted Lanternfly Locating and managing tree of heaven is a key aspect of dealing with spotted lanternfly and reducing the impacts of this invader in North America.

People often ask me why birds don’t eat the swarms of (invasive) #SpottedLanternFly. Endless food? No. 🫠

It’s because the bugs are smart: they feed on the noxious toxic sap of the (invasive) #TreeOfHeaven. Birds won’t eat them after they do.

The bugs and trees are linked, both must be removed.

Bees Are Turning the Sticky-Sweet Secretions of Spotted Lanternflies Into Honey—and Some People Love the Smoky-Smelling Stuff The invasive insects have been spreading across the United States for over a decade, leaving behind poop that bees are transforming into a less sweet, sometimes savory, honey

Bees Are Turning the Sticky-Sweet Secretions of Spotted Lanternflies Into Honey—and Some People Love the Smoky-Smelling Stuff: The invasive insects have been spreading across the United States for over a decade, leaving behind… @SmithsonianMag #Bees #Honey #SpottedLanternfly #InvasiveSpecies #Nature

Join the RC&D Council for their presentation on insects and diseases affecting Rhode Island trees. This presentation is free with take home materials included, registration is not required!

#free #class #trees #rhodeisland #conservation #ecology #forestry #spottedlanternfly #invasivespecies

Spotted Lanternfly crawling on a railing

#AlphabetChallenge
#WeekUforUnloved
#SpottedLanternfly
#EastCoastKin
#photographersunited
#photography
#insect

#scicomm #sciencecommunication #science #podcast #podcasts #entomology #ants #SpottedLanternfly #biology #bio @virginiatech.bsky.social

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has confirmed a new #SpottedLanternfly population in Jackson County following its 2025 monitoring efforts. SLF is now confirmed in six Michigan counties.

Learn more: www.michigan.gov/mdard/about/... #InvasiveSpecies #Entomology 🧪🌍🍁

Close-up of a Spotted Lanternfly adult

Adult stage of Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula)

3rd instar (early stage nymph) in July

This Halloween, beware the forest's "tree-vampire"—the invasive Spotted Lanternfly 🧛‍♂️. They pierce and drain sap from our trees, leaving sticky honeydew behind.

To learn more: www.lhprism.org/spotted-lant... #BlackRockForest #SpottedLanternfly #InvasiveSpecies

Halloween pumpkin 2025. A truly scary creature, the spotted jack o'lantern fly! #halloweeen #pumpkincarving #spottedlanternfly

Wanted to share this vent art I made a hot minute ago because i like how this turned out, it's super pretty to me and the bugs gotta be my favorite part. #butterfly #spottedlanternfly #goldenrereiver #ventart #vent #oc #ocart

I wanted to share what I found outside. This is a spotted lanternfly, which is considered an invasive insect species. It was first detected in PA in 2014. We never encountered these in Virginia, but they’ve recently started appearing there.

#SpottedLanternfly #NatureBeauty
#Insects #Photography

The invasive (in the US) spotted lanternfly. See it? SQUASH IT!

#spottedlanternfly #slf #invasivespecies

Bug Boy®-Adventures of a SuperB Hero on His Day Off Lanternfly ©2025 Amy D First Panel- Bug Boy and Seymour just walking into the Bug Bungalow. Bug Boy is holding a paper bag and he closes the door behind him. There seem to be several dark beams of shadow coming from the top of the panel. Seymour has his arm out so it’s in one. Seymour: What's with the lighting? Are we getting ready for Halloween early? Bug Boy: We usually have glowworms or fireflies light the set, but they're getting ready to hibernate, so we had to settle for a Spotted Lanternfly.  Second Panel- A large stage light that appears to be hanging from the ceiling. Holding on the back of it is a Spotted Lanternfly, who is looking down and  waving. Final Panel- Bug Boy is looking up towards the top left of the panel. He has a concerned look on his face. Bug Boy: CLEAN YOUR LENS CORY!

This week: Shine a light on you, Bug
Please join my on Patreon for behind the scenes commentary, Bug facts, and so much more. Plus you help support the comic.

www.patreon.com/BugBoyComics

#BugBoyComics #BugSky #Insects #SpottedLanternfly #ComicStrip #Comics

#spottedlanternfly kill! Kill! Still having a blast in Rhode Island.

Spotted lanternflies persist in Central Virginia The Virginia Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine was repealed in March of this year, but the insects remain a persistent threat.

www.29news.com/2025/07/23/spotted-lante... I had a question about this today. We are no longer under quarantine but yes #SpottedLanternflies are all over the area #Cville

#ScientificCommunication #SpottedLanternfly #USDA #Weevil

A dead spotted lanternfly on the roadside.

I have done my duty and slaughtered about four spotted lanternflies in the last 30 minutes. How many spotted lanternflies have you killed today? #spottedlanternfly #killthemall #invasivespecies

A spotted lantern fly on pavement.

The invasion has reached the sacred cocktail lands of Morgantown. #spottedlanternfly

Lantern Spotted Fly

🌱
#insects
#SLF
#SpottedLanternFly
#plants
#trees
#gardening
#naturephotography

I don’t kill insects as a rule. But this bug is a menace to our trees and plants. There are so many of them. I step on them…I have even swatted them with my purse! I hate them! It’s damaging my nature karma.