Do spotted lanternflies bite or sting?
No. They're harmless to people and pets. The damage is to plants and to whatever ends up under the honeydew.
Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula)
Reviewed by William "Willy" Vizcarrondo, NYS Certified Pesticide Applicator (C1825832). Updated September 23, 2026.
Quick facts
The spotted lanternfly is the invasive planthopper from Asia that is now established across Long Island. It feeds on the sap of more than 70 plants, swarms trees, decks, and siding by the hundreds in late summer, and coats everything below it in sticky honeydew that turns to black sooty mold.
| Size | Adults about 1 inch long; nymphs 1/8 to 1/2 inch |
|---|---|
| Color | Early nymphs black with white spots; late nymphs red with black and white; adults gray spotted forewings, bright red hindwings visible in flight |
| Look-alikes | Nothing else on Long Island looks like it; the red hindwings are the giveaway |
| Where you'll find it | Tree of heaven, maples, black walnut, grapevines, fruit trees; on siding, decks, patio furniture, cars, and stone in late summer |
| Active on Long Island | Nymphs from May; adults July until frost; egg laying September through November |
| Danger level | Plant and tree stress, honeydew and sooty mold on outdoor surfaces, nuisance in swarms |
Long Island season
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Nymphs hatch in May, adults appear in July and swarm hardest in late August through October, and egg masses are laid on almost any smooth surface from September until the first hard frost.
How to identify it
Early nymphs in May and June are black with white polka dots and hop when approached. By July the last nymph stage is red with black and white spots. Adults are about an inch long with folded gray wings covered in black spots, and when they jump or fly they flash bright red hindwings (Penn State).
Egg masses are the stage most people miss: gray, putty-like smears about an inch long that hold 30 to 50 eggs and get laid on tree bark, stone, patio furniture, grills, trailers, and cars (Penn State).
Signs you have them
- Hundreds of adults on a tree trunk or the sunny side of the house in late summer
- Sticky honeydew on a deck, car, or patio under a tree
- Black sooty mold growing on that honeydew
- Wasps, ants, and flies drawn to the honeydew
- Gray putty-like egg masses on bark, stone, and outdoor furniture in fall and winter
- Weeping sap on tree trunks
Why it matters
Long Island is listed by New York State as an established infestation area. Feeding stresses maples, fruit trees, grapevines, and ornamentals, and the honeydew they excrete fuels sooty mold that blackens siding, patios, cars, and anything under the tree (Penn State).
New York's Department of Agriculture and Markets asks residents in established zones to kill lanternflies on sight and, outside those zones, to report them. Egg masses that survive winter on your property are next summer's swarm.
Can I handle it myself?
A lot of it, and the state wants you to. Kill adults and nymphs on sight, scrape egg masses off bark and surfaces into a bag with rubbing alcohol from fall through spring, and remove tree of heaven, their favorite host, if it's on your property (Penn State, NYS Ag and Markets).
Circle traps on trunks catch nymphs climbing in spring. What homeowners can't do is stop a heavy infestation on a large tree or a whole yard once adults are swarming in August.
How Bobby Bugs treats it
A free estimate, then treatment of the host trees and the surfaces they're swarming, plus egg mass removal where we can reach it. Spotted lanternfly treatment is priced by the property.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I see a spotted lanternfly on Long Island?
Kill it. Long Island is an established area, and New York State asks residents there to step on or crush them on sight rather than report each one.
What do spotted lanternfly eggs look like?
A gray, putty-like smear about an inch long on bark, stone, patio furniture, grills, or a car. Each holds 30 to 50 eggs. Scrape it off into a bag with rubbing alcohol.
Why is my deck sticky under the maple tree?
Honeydew. Lanternflies feeding above excrete a sugary liquid that coats everything below and grows black sooty mold. Treating the tree stops the source.
Sources
Think you have spotted lanternflies? Call (516) 509-6001 for a free written quote.