State DEC asks New Yorkers to watch for Spotted Lanternfly egg masses this winter
Albany, N.Y. – The State DEC is asking residents to be on the lookout this winter for Spotted Lanternflies and their eggs.
DEC officials say there have been no documented reports of Spotted Lanternfly infestations in the state, and that the coming season’s freezing temperatures will kill off any of the insects.
However, the DEC is asking New Yorkers to keep an eye out for egg masses. Spotted Lanternflies will typically lay eggs on flat surfaces, including outdoor furniture, firewood and vehicles.
These egg masses are described as about an inch in length, usually brownish-gray and shiny. While shiny and waxy when first laid, they eventually become scaly.
Anyone who spots egg masses such as these is asked to write to spottedlanternfly@dec.ny.gov.
Individual adult Lanternflies have been detected in some parts of New York, including Monroe County. It is a destructive insect based out of Asia which the state says feeds on dozens of plant species.
