The spotted lanternfly damages plants as it sucks sap from branches, stems and tree trunks. The repeated feedings leave the tree bark with dark scars. Spotted lanternflies also excrete a sticky fluid, which promotes mold growth, further weakens plants and puts our agriculture and forests at risk. Butler Eagle file photo

Butler County residents are advised to be extra vigilant during the coming months as the spotted lanternfly population reaches adulthood.

Since the first spotted lanternflies entered the United States via Berks County in 2014, the species has spread to 14 eastern and midwest states, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The spotted lanternfly is considered an invasive species and a threat to all local plant life, and has been known to feed on dozens of plant species. The calling card of a spotted lanternfly is the dark, sticky fluid it leaves behind on plants it has devoured.

Residents are advised to destroy any spotted lanternfly they come across if they find one, or at the very least, report it to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

According to a study by Penn State University, the insect could cause economic damages of $324 million annually in the state if adequate measures are not taken to contain it.

“It affects both trees as well as agriculture,” said Diane Dallos, Master Gardener coordinator for the Penn State University Extension’s Butler County office. “It can be a stressor on lots of different plants in our gardens ... and it makes a really dirty mess.”

Since February, Butler County has been in Pennsylvania’s spotted lanternfly quarantine zone, following confirmed sightings in Cranberry and Jackson townships last fall. No new sightings have been reported in the county since, but that could change soon.

If any new spotted lanternflies have entered Butler County, residents may not have noticed them yet. By this point in the year, lanternflies are just exiting their childhood stage, in which they are barely distinguishable from common spiders.

The typical lifespan of a spotted lanternfly is just one year, and the stages of that lifespan go by like the seasons. During the fall, adult females lay their eggs, which hatch during the spring.

“When they're little, they tend to look more like spiders. So a lot of people ... they don't know what they're looking at if they saw one,” Dallos said. “But once (lanternflies) become adults, they're much more observable.”

Fully grown spotted lanternflies can fly, but not far, so they get from place to place largely by hitching rides on human transportation. Dallos advises those traveling this summer to be extra vigilant for spotted lanternflies, particularly when visiting Allegheny County, where they are far more prevalent.

Commercial vehicles are required to have a special spotted lanternfly permit before they travel through the quarantine zone. Regular passenger vehicles have no such requirement, so the burden is on residents to check for spotted lanternflies whenever they travel.

“It's really important to stop the movement of them,” Dallos said. “Just check your vehicle, especially areas like wheel wells, and camping gear if you're leaving the area. Make sure to check your possessions, anything that's been outside, especially under trees before traveling, so you're not transporting them.”

To report a spotted lanternfly sighting to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, call 1-888-4BAD-FLY (1-888-422-3359).