Spotted Lanternfly Leaving Egg Masses Around NJ: What Residents Can Do

NEW JERSEY — Fall's arrival in New Jersey will mean colorful leaves, pumpkin spice-flavored everything, and a team of notorious villains laying their eggs throughout the Garden State. That's when the spotted lanternfly nurtures its next generation of pests — a key timeframe for New Jerseyans to help control the population.

The invasive species lays eggs from September through December, and the egg masses can be seen from September to June. While the adult spotted lanternfly doesn't survive the winter, the egg masses do before hatching in the spring.

While spotted lanternflies don't harm animals or humans, they can reduce the quality of life for people in heavily infested areas, according to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA). The insect feeds on the sap of many plants important to New Jersey, including grapevines, maples and black walnut.

When they feed, they excrete honeydew, which can attract bees, wasps and other insects. The substance also builds up and promotes the growth of sooty mold, which can cover plants, forest understories, patio furniture, cars and other surfaces.

New Jersey's first confirmed spotted lanternfly sighting came in July 2018 in Warren County. The critter has since spread to all of the state's counties. State agricultural officials estimate that the spotted lanternfly's New Jersey population was likely close to last year's. But they become more visible this year with the adults reaching parts of the Jersey Shore. Read more: Spotted Lanternflies Invade The Jersey Shore: State Officials

The egg masses are about 1 inch in size and contain 30-50 eggs. Eighty to 90 percent of egg masses on trees are found 10 feet above the ground or higher. The NJDA asked the public to look for egg masses and scrape them away.

"Scraping cards are available at each of the county Rutgers Extension Offices, but a credit card type of object will also work," the state agricultural department told Patch. "When scraping, it is important to apply some pressure to the egg mass to sufficiently destroy the eggs."

Spotted lanternflies often lay their eggs on flat surfaces, such as tree bark, rocks, lawn furniture, firewood, boats, RVs, pallets or anything left outdoors, which can be transported to new locations. Freshly laid egg masses have a light-gray, mud-like covering, while older egg masses change in color to a light tan, resembling cracked mud. Hatched egg masses lose the mud-like covering, exposing individual eggs that look similar to seeds.

See photos of egg masses below from the NJDA:

The NJDA offered Aug. 3 to reimburse New Jersey counties "as much as $15,000 and possibly more" for treatment of the spotted lanternfly. Nine counties have applied for the funds so far: Bergen, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hudson, Monmouth, Morris, Mercer and Union.

But it's hard to say whether some parts of New Jersey have more spotted lanternflies than others, according to agricultural officials. Eighteen NJDA staff and 14 employees from the U.S. Department of Agriculture focus on high-priority areas such as seaports, airports, railway lines, railyards and high-volume shipping operations. The focus on transportation and shipping hubs allows New Jersey to reduce the spotted lanternfly's movement throughout and out of the state, according to the NJDA.

Find out more about spotted lanternflies at badbug.nj.gov.