Spotted Lanternfly Prevention & Management

Prevent and Manage Spotted Lanternfly on Your Property

• Helping to slow the spread of the invasive species in Loudoun County will require everyone’s help. Property owners and residents are responsible for finding and destroying spotted lanternflies on their own property.
• Keep your trees and shrubs in good health to protect them; healthy plants will better resist and recover from impacts caused by the spotted lanternfly. 
• Look for trees and plants that have a black appearance on them and on the ground below because the spotted lanternfly secretes a clear and sticky substance, when feeding on a plant that is then colonized by fungi, which gives it a black appearance. 
• Identify trees that are favored by spotted lanternfly. If possible and practical, remove the Tree of Heaven. 
• Scout for and smash spotted lanternfly egg masses at the end of September through April.  
• Check your vehicle for hitchhikers if you travel to an area that is known to be infested with the spotted lanternfly before returning to Loudoun County.
  • Map of Spotted Lanternfly Reported Distribution
• Homeowner Tips and Inspection Check Sheet (PDF) - Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• Guidelines for the Control of Spotted Lanternfly (PDF) -Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

Insecticides

• Some commercially available insecticides are effective against the spotted lanternfly. If you consider using an insecticide, there are important safety measures you should take. Before using any insecticide, always read the label and follow the instructions. 
• Best Management Practices for Spotted Lanternfly in Yards and Landscapes - Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Extension 
• Spotted Lanternfly Management and Pesticide Safety - PennState Extension 
• Pesticide Safety Tips Video - Loudoun County Library and VCE-Loudoun

Information for Businesses

• Best Management Practices for/in Vineyards (PDF) - Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• Best Management Practices for Businesses (PDF) - Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• Join the Battle to Beat the Bug - USDA

Quarantine for Virginia Counties

Currently, Loudoun County is not in an established quarantine area. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services established a quarantine for Albemarle, Augusta, Carroll, Clarke, Frederick, Page, Prince William, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Warren and Wythe Counties, and the Cities of Buena Vista, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Lynchburg, Manassas, Manassas Park, Staunton, Waynesboro and Winchester.

The purpose of the quarantine is to slow the spread of the spotted lanternfly to un-infested areas of the Commonwealth.

If you are operating businesses in the quarantine localities listed above, you must have permits to move equipment and goods.

• Permit application (PDF)
• Permit training
• Best Management Practices for Businesses (PDF)
• Inspection Checklist (PDF)

Find more information on the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services website.