WAVY.com

Invasive spotted lanternflies emerge in Virginia

Jane Alvarez-Wertz

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) confirms the invasive spotted lanternfly has been spotted in Virginia.

VDACS said they were first seen in Richmond, followed by Lynchburg.


“These invasive pests damage our trees and vines, and we want to Stop the Spread. If you see a spotted lanternfly of any life stage, use the VDACS Invasive Species Reporting Tool to let us know, and stomp the pest if you get the chance!”

Virginia Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Click here to report an invasive species.

The reporting tool will tailor its questions based on the pest you are reporting to VDACS. The form does not include a field to upload a photo, however, VDACS may ask for a photo after receiving your report. You are encouraged to take a photo of the invasive species, if possible, as it may be needed to help identify the species.

A quarantine established in 2019 to slow the spread of the Spotted Lanternfly has officially been repealed on March 27. (Getty)
FILE – A smashed spotted lanternfly sits on the ground in New York, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022. The Illinois Department of Agriculture said a sighting of one of the winged adult insects was reported on Sept. 16, 2023, at an undisclosed location in the state. Department staffers visited that area and found a “moderately populated area of spotted lanternfly,” the state agency said. (AP Photo, File)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 26: Dead spotted lanternflies perch on a tree at Inwood Hill Park on September 26, 2022 in New York City. Spotted lanternflies, an insect native to Southeast Asia that scientists say arrived in the U.S. seven years ago and in New York City in 2020, feed on the sap of more than 70 plant species, leaving them susceptible to disease and destruction from other pests. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
This Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, photo shows a spotted lanternfly at a vineyard in Kutztown, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Spotted lanternfly was originally found in Virginia in 2018 and has now been found in more than half of Virginia’s counties and cities.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension has more information on the Spotted Lanternfly in Virginia, including a map that shows where it has been reported.