The adult spotted lanternflies that swarmed Gloucester County trees over the summer are now laying eggs, and those egg masses will sit through the winter until they hatch in spring. They look like smears of gray mud or dried putty about an inch or two long, and they show up on tree bark, fence posts, stone, patio furniture, trailers, and firewood.
Scraping them off now and dropping them into a bag with rubbing alcohol is one of the most useful things a homeowner can do, because every mass can hold dozens of eggs. Check the undersides of limbs and the lower trunk, and pay close attention to anything you plan to move out of the area, since egg masses on vehicles and outdoor gear are one of the main ways this pest spreads.
Tree-of-heaven is their favorite host, and a yard full of it tends to draw lanternflies back year after year. If you have a stand of it along a fence line or lot edge in Sewell, Elmer, or anywhere in the county, removing it thoughtfully is part of long-term control. Have you found any of these gray egg patches on your property yet this fall?
#SpottedLanternfly #SouthJerseyTrees
Close-up of a real spotted lanternfly egg mass on tree bark or a trailer surface from a local job, with a coin or finger for scale. A shot of a tree-of-heaven stand also works. Avoid stock insect photos.
Canva text suggestion: "Scrape Lanternfly Egg Masses This Fall" or "Look for Gray, Mud-Like Patches on Bark"