Adult spotted lanternflies are about one inch long and one half inch wide. They have tan forewings that have black spots. Their hindwings have lower red patches and upper black patches, separated with a white section in between. The red hindwings are mostly hidden unless the wings are spread. Adult SLF crawl, jump, or fly short distances. You will see adults from July to November.
Fig 1: Side view of adult SLF |
Fig 2: Top view of SLF adults with wings open and closed. |
Fig 3: Early stage nymph |
Fig 4: Late stage nymph |
Spotted lanternfly eggs hatch in the spring and early summer. Early instar nymphs are black in color with white spots; fourth instars nymphs are red with black and white spots. You will see nymphs from April to October.
The spotted lanternfly eggs masses are laid on practically any surface including trees, stones, trash cans, side of a house, etc. during the fall. Egg masses are yellowish-brown in color, and most are covered with a gray, waxy coating prior to hatching (USDA, 2019). They may appear wet or sticky when fresh. You will see eggs from September to May.
Fig 7: Fresh egg mass |
Fig 8: Fresh egg mass (uncovered) |
Fig 9: Old egg mass |
Fig 10: SLF adult and egg masses |
Fig 11: SLF egg masses |