We’re seeing them on birches, on maples, so larger trees, and I’ve also seen them on lilacs. They’re kind of a broad-spectrum pest, but what people are mostly concerned about right now is their effect on agricultural food.”

Jenny-Lu Roulon

Spotted lanternflies are now established to some degree in all five Rhode Island counties, and state officials are seeing both growing populations in the hardest-hit areas and signs that the invasive insect is spreading into new locations.

“The current status is all five Rhode Island counties do have some sort of infestation, with the heaviest hit being eastern Kent and eastern Providence County, and a lot of Bristol County, too,” said Cynthia Kwolek, state survey coordinator for the Rhode Island Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS).

Kwolek said the state has seen “quite a bit of growth” in the spotted lanternfly population over the past year. Infestations are becoming heavier in areas where the insect was already prevalent, while lanternflies are also spreading outward.

The expansion is particularly concerning for Rhode Island’s vineyards and orchards. Spotted lanternflies are sap-feeding insects that pierce plants and feed from their vascular systems. In large numbers, they can deprive plants of resources and place them under significant stress.

That can be especially damaging to grapevines, which are simultaneously putting energy into producing fruit.

“When it’s something small like a vine and they’re trying to produce fruit, it can be really stressful,” Kwolek said.

The greater concern, Kwolek said, is the insect’s potential impact on agricultural operations rather than most residential landscaping or vegetable crops.

So far, Rhode Island has not seen a vineyard with a severe infestation. Some vineyards have found spotted lanternflies on their properties and among their vines, but populations have not yet reached levels associated with significant damage.

At Newport Vineyards in Middletown, the invasive insect has not become a problem, but staff members are keeping watch.

Kendra Carlisle, director of marketing at Newport Vineyards, said the vineyard’s owner has instructed employees to report any spotted lanternflies they see so they can be removed. The vineyard also plans to document and report any sightings through the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management’s reporting system.

“If anyone sees any near the vines, let us know,” Carlisle said.

The vineyard began its grape harvest this week without any spotted lanternfly issues. Still, the insect’s ability to hitch rides into new areas means Aquidneck Island is not necessarily insulated from its spread.

“Unlike Rhode Islanders, lanternflies will cross the bridges,” Carlisle joked.

For Carlisle, it is important to distinguish between the potential threat and what vineyards are actually experiencing now.

“Right now is the coolest time for wineries,” she said. “Harvest just started. It’s a really big, exciting thing.”

Newport Vineyards also has several fall events planned, including a cider festival and its Harvest Festival on Oct. 25.

Elsewhere in the state, officials are working with vineyards that have encountered spotted lanternflies on management strategies, including managing tree-of-heaven, the invasive tree that serves as a favored host for the insect.

Homeowners are noticing them, too

The growing population is also becoming noticeable in residential yards, according to Jenny-Lu Roulon, senior sales associate and the go-to staff member for pest and disease questions at Redwood Nursery and Garden Center in Swansea.

Roulon said several people have recently come into the nursery complaining about the number of spotted lanternflies they are seeing and how suddenly the insects seem to appear.

“They were in their yard as nymphs, then in adult form they are more noticeable,” Roulon said.

How homeowners should respond depends partly on the insect’s stage of development. Egg masses can be scraped away and destroyed, though Roulon said many are difficult to reach.

“Most of the egg masses are going to be very far up on the tree,” she said.

During the nymph stage, traps placed around tree trunks can offer another option.

“For the nymphs, the weevil traps, or sticky traps around a tree, would be better,” Roulon said. “Because that’s a non-toxic way of managing them.”

Once spotted lanternflies develop wings, trapping becomes more difficult.

“For the flyers, there’s not much you can do,” she said. “They’re not gonna get stuck in a trap because if they fall, they’ll just fly right back up.”

Roulon recommends using a combination of approaches throughout the insect’s life cycle.

While spotted lanternflies are particularly attracted to tree-of-heaven, homeowners may find them on many other plants.

“That’s their favorite food,” Roulon said of tree-of-heaven. “However, they’ll go for pretty much anything.”

“We’re seeing them on birches, on maples, so larger trees, and I’ve also seen them on lilacs,” she said. “They’re kind of a broad-spectrum pest, but what people are mostly concerned about right now is their effect on agricultural food.”

Another sign of a substantial infestation can be sooty mold. Spotted lanternflies excrete a sugary substance known as honeydew as they feed, creating conditions for the mold to develop.

“You’ll have the sooty molds grow on top of that excrement,” Roulon said.

The mold itself does not infect the plant, she explained, but a heavy coating can interfere with photosynthesis and limit growth.

Repeated feeding can also leave numerous small wounds in a plant.

“A bunch of little wounds on a tree is not good because that’s a way for other diseases to get into the tree,” Roulon said.

She compared bark’s protective role to human skin.

“Bark protects a tree or a shrub much like human skin does,” she said. “If you were covered in a bunch of tiny cuts, like tiny little paper cuts, you could assume you’re gonna get an infection.”

Slowing the spread

Keeping populations from spreading is a major part of the state’s strategy. Kwolek said there is no simple way to eradicate spotted lanternflies once they become established, as states including Pennsylvania and New Jersey have experienced.

Established infestations can also create production problems and substantially increase vineyard management costs, Kwolek said.

For residents, killing individual insects can still make a difference when many people participate.

“If everybody is actively trying to reduce the population, it will help reduce the amount that could be moved,” Kwolek said.

Preventing accidental transportation is particularly important because spotted lanternflies can hitch rides on vehicles and other objects.

“They’ve only moved into Rhode Island in, like, the past couple years, but they’re expanding,” Roulon said, “which is why you have to be careful transporting firewood, or other things like that, because you could be helping the spread.”

Residents can also look for and scrape egg masses during the fall, winter and spring. Campers, trailers, outdoor furniture and other items stored outside should be inspected before they are moved.

“Just check everything for egg masses and just be aware of the pest,” Kwolek said.

Residents who encounter spotted lanternflies, particularly in vineyards or other agricultural areas, can photograph them and submit sightings through the state’s Survey123 reporting platform. The reports allow officials to identify sightings outside known infestation areas and monitor potential movement into agricultural properties.