You’ve probably seen them. And if you’ve seen them, you’ve likely tried to squish them. The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is in its fully grown and most visible stage in Northeast Ohio, and the pests are becoming a growing challenge.
“You can continue to squash them. That’s a very effective method to kill the ones that you see,” said Jonathan Shields, an agriculture inspection manager and the SLF program manager for the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
It was the advice dolled out when SLF first appeared in Ohio in 2020. As of August 2025, ODA has received reports of the invasive species in nearly every Northeast Ohio county.
At least 18 Ohio counties are under a quarantine, which means plant and tree stock should receive a thorough inspection before being shipped out of the area.
“It has been moving along transportation corridors. So if you follow rail lines or highways, you’ll see additional populations further along those pathways,” Shields explained.
The bug, which is native to Asia, doesn’t pose a direct threat to people or animals, but it is a looming concern for Ohio’s agriculture industry.
Hops, apples and grapes are favorite foods of SLFs, and infestation can cause devastating damage like oozing sap, wilting, leaf curling, dieback and mold.
Ohio’s $6 billion wine and grape industry is keeping an eye on the spotted lanternfly’s spread.
“It’s always a concern. There are many different pests that have been a concern in the past. These are a big one,” said Judy Buzas, the owner of Yummy Grapes vineyard in Avon. “They can really do a lot of damage.”
She explained the 85-year-old family business has endured all types of challenges from Mother Nature. This year, dry weather affected the size of some of the grapes, but Buzas said the yield is relatively good.
Picking season began over the weekend, and she said she’s grateful SLFs haven’t found her crop.
“Grape picking season makes or breaks your business. If there aren’t any grapes, you’re not going to have any customers. And we have had years when there’s been no harvest,” Buzas said.
ODA said insecticide can be used as the most severe way to manage an SLF outbreak. Before that point, the agency still advises squishing the bugs and their eggs.
From October to December, adult SLFs lay eggs that appear as small, gray masses, protected by a waxy covering. ODA said the masses can be scraped off into soapy water or rubbing alcohol to kill the SLFs before they hatch.
Its primary host is another non-native invasive species, the tree of heaven. Cutting down and removing the plant can also help deter the insect.
Though SLFs have established populations throughout Northeast Ohio, Shields said researchers are actively looking for solutions to stop their spread.
“We’re still learning a lot about spotted lanternfly,” said Shields. “Right now, we’re not sure where things are going. But it is continuing to spread as that research is happening. So we encourage people to be patient, let the researchers do their work and hopefully they’ll come up with a silver bullet that we can apply.”
If you find an SLF or egg mass, you can report the sighting to ODA by clicking on this link.
For more information on the Spotted Lanternfly in Ohio, visit the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s (ODA) website.
