If you have spotted lanternflies on your property this fall, the adults are now busy laying eggs. Each egg mass looks like a smear of gray mud or old putty about an inch long, and each one can hold dozens of eggs that will hatch next spring.
Egg masses turn up in surprising places. Tree of heaven and maples are favorites, but we also find them on fence posts, stone walls, outdoor furniture, firewood stacks, trailers, and even the undersides of vehicles. Because they blend in so well, they travel easily, which is one reason both sides of our Maryland and Pennsylvania service area keep seeing new activity.
The good news is that this is something homeowners can help with right now. Scrape egg masses into a bag or container with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer, then seal it and throw it away. Check firewood and anything stored outdoors before moving it, and if you have a tree of heaven on your property, it is worth talking with an arborist about managing it.
Have you found lanternfly egg masses around your yard this fall, and where was the most surprising spot you have found one?
#SpottedLanternfly #YorkCountyPA
A real close-up photo of a spotted lanternfly egg mass (gray, mud-like smear) on tree bark, ideally from a local job. If none is available, an adult spotted lanternfly on a local tree trunk. Real local photos outperform stock insect images.
Canva text suggestion: "That Gray Smudge Could Be 50 Lanternfly Eggs" or "Scrape It Now, Fewer Lanternflies Next Summer"