Spotted lanternflies, non-native invasive insects that threaten crops and trees, have entered their breeding season in Ohio. This means that their current egg-laying could lead to a larger infestation in 2026 once they hatch.
The spotted lanternfly is currently preparing the next generation. The insects lay eggs from October through December, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Lanternflies can damage trees, fruits, crops, vines and other plants if not controlled.
If you see lanternfly egg masses, experts say to kill them immediately. But what’s the best way to destroy the egg masses? Should you burn the tree, as one Facebook user asked? Here’s how to curb the spotted lanternfly takeover in Ohio.
Lanternflies have started breeding in Ohio. Why this causes worse problems in 2026
Spotted lanternflies lay egg masses, or a cluster of eggs, which can produce another 50 lanternflies to hatch next spring, according to Toledo’s 13 Action News meteorologist Ross Ellet. He adds that you can kill them by scraping them into a plastic bag filled with rubbing alcohol or smashing them, although smashing may not destroy all the lanternflies.
One person commented on Ellet’s post asking if burning down the tree would be a good method to get rid of the eggs.
Beyond the risk of starting a widespread fire, burning a tree is overkill when it comes to destorying spotted lanterfly eggs.
How to kill lanternflies and destroy their eggs
The Ohio Department of Agriculture recommends the following if you spot lanternflies or their eggs:
Some insecticides may need to be applied by certified personnel or require specialized equipment. Also, pesticides will kill beneficial insects, such as pollinators. Do not apply when trees or shrubs are in bloom or if nearby flowering plants may absorb the insecticide.
What do spotted lanternfly egg masses look like? What do spotted lanternflies look like as nymphs, adults?
The egg masses are small and gray, and protected by a waxy coating and are laid in sheltered areas of trees, buildings, firewood, outdoor furniture, lawn equipment and rocks.
Lanternfly eggs typically start hatching in April and grow through four nymph stages before emerging as adults in late June. The adults are then active through December.
Which Ohio counties have been added to spotted lanternfly quarantine? Six new counties make the list
The updated quarantine results from several new infestations reported through ODA’s online Ohio Plant Pest Reporter, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
The six new counties under quarantine are:
Which Ohio counties were already under quarantine? See the map
The Ohio Department of Agriculture added six more counties to the spotted lanternfly quarantine area in the state in the spring of 2025, restricting the movement of wood, trees and other items moving in and out of those areas that might spread the infestation.
These Ohio counties were already under the spotted lanternfly quarantine:
More Ohio counties quarantined for spotted lanternfly in 2025. What that means
In May, six new counties, mainly in Northeast Ohio, were added to the state’s quarantine list. That brings the total quarantined counties in Ohio to 18.
Because the spotted lanternfly is designated a destructive plant pest, Ohio law increases inspections and restricts the movement of certain items from infested counties in Ohio and other states into non-infested Ohio counties, according to the Department of Agriculture.
Regulated articles include, but are not limited to:
Why is the spotted lanternfly such a problem? Origin, diet and why they’re a threat to Ohio’s agriculture
The spotted lanternfly, native to Asia, was first spotted in North America in 2014, in Pennsylvania, according to the Penn State University Extension. It was first identified in Ohio in 2020, per the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
The insects feed on a variety of plants, causing them to wilt and die back, and making them susceptible to damage from outside factors, such as mold. They’re particularly fond of the tree of heaven, also an invasive species, as well as grapes and hops, according to ODNR.
The spotted lanternfly also produces a sticky, sugary substance known as honeydew that attracts ants, flies and wasps. The honeydew is also colonized by a fungus called sooty mold, which can ruin grape and hop crops.
Do lanternflies die in the winter?
Yes. Most spotted lanternfly adults freeze to death in the winter, according to the Penn State Extension, but their eggs survive.
Saw a spotted lanternfly? How to report a sighting
If you suspect a spotted lanternfly outside a quarantined county, take a photograph and report the finding to the ODA Plant Pest Control using the Ohio Plant Pest Reporter.
Lanternflies found in or around known infestations do not need to be reported.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: See them? Kill them. Spotted lanternflies breeding in Ohio. How to destroy eggs
Reporting by Alex Perry and Chad Murphy, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
