The invasive spotted lanternfly, first identified in Ohio in 2020, is currently causing concern for many vineyard owners across the state. The insect is native to China, India and Vietnam, and was first identified in the U.S. in 2014 in Berks County, Pennsylvania, according to the National Park Service.
The SLF feeds on over 70 different plant species but prefers grapevines and the invasive plant, tree of heaven.
The SFL lays eggs beginning in October through December. Egg masses appear as small, grey masses with a protective waxy coat, usually in sheltered areas like trees, buildings, firewood, outdoor furniture and lawn equipment.
According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, if one finds an egg mass, one should destroy it with soapy water or rubbing alcohol. It also recommends swatting or stomping on SLF when populations are low.
As of October, the ODA cited 18 counties across the state to contain confirmed and established infestations of SLF.
SLF sightings and infestations are currently focused in metropolitan areas near the Northeast region of the state, but there have been confirmed sightings of SLF in Southeast Ohio, in Washington County and Scioto County.
The SLF is closely related to the grasshopper and moves similarly through hopping and short flight, depending on their age. While this impedes their mobility, human activity largely contributes to the spread of the insect, according to Assistant Professor of Specialty Crop Entomology at Ohio State University, Ashley Leach, who holds a doctorate in entomology.
Leach has conducted extensive research on SLF and its impact on the environment, and cited human transport as the main reason for the high volume of SLF in metropolitan areas like Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.
Although the SLF has not yet become a major problem for the Southeast region, vineyard owners have been hearing about the issue and preparing for it for years.
Owner of Rockside Winery & Vineyards in Lancaster, Robin Coolidge, stated he knows the insect is coming and has been waiting for years. According to Coolidge, Rockside Winery used to participate in Harvest Host, where it allowed recreational vehicles and campers to park on the grounds for free.
Coolidge commented on how the concern regarding SLF caused Rockside Winery to end its participation in the program in recent years.
“We stopped doing that 3 years ago because we were so concerned that these insects like to put their egg cases on things like cars and trucks and RVs,” Coolidge said. “And we were very concerned that somebody from the east who's in one of these areas that has a large infestation would bring one of these vehicles with an egg case to our vineyard, and we would get, basically, an infestation would start here.”
When an infestation is confirmed in a county in Ohio, the ODA places a quarantine on the area. According to the ODA, a quarantine limits the transportation of certain tree and nursery stock out of the county without a compliance agreement, certificate or inspection certificate. This is done to slow the spread of SLF and attempt to contain the issue in already affected areas.
SLF feeds on the sap of trees and plants, which causes oozing sap, wilting, leaf curling and dieback. The insect also secretes honeydew while feeding, which typically builds up on and underneath the plant and causes the growth of black sooty mold, according to ODA.
Because research into SLF is still early, there are not many known effective ways to manage infestations. Currently, pesticides or insecticides are the most commonly used and recommended method of controlling and killing large infestations of SLF.
Leach said there is ongoing research into other methods that would not use chemicals, as many vineyard owners are not in favor of using them. According to Leach, there is a discussion on building walls surrounding a vineyard that SLF will likely crawl up to the top, where they will be met with a trap.
There has also been research into removing the invasive tree of heaven, which SLF are known to enjoy particularly well.
Leach also discussed trap cropping, which could control the environment in order to kill SLF.
“It's a cultural control practice where, basically, we're trying to manipulate the environment,” Leach said. “So bring SLF into a specific situation where they are basically going to be walking into a trap, if you will. We bring, for example, we might do potted tree of heaven plants, but treat them with neonicotinoid and we can then stick them, potentially in a vineyard.”
CEO of Hocking Hills Winery in Logan, Blaine Davidson, expressed his concern moving forward about SLF.
“It does cause a fair amount of concern,” Davidson said. “And it's something that we need to keep a close eye on, because if left untreated, it can decimate the vineyard. So I think the key things are just monitoring it and controlling it when you spot them.”
Leach commented on how the SLF issue will develop in the state.
“So we are seeing a predictable pattern of what others have seen in the northeastern United States, which is typically spotted lanternfly shows up in the periphery of the vineyard in some way along a wooded edge, or something of that nature,” Leach said. “And then it takes about one to three years for SLF to move into the actual vineyard.”
If SLF are found, Ohioans are directed to report their findings to the ODA Plant Pest Reporter.
