Invasive spotted lanternflies emerged in overwhelming numbers at the beginning of summer and now flourish across Montgomery County. The colorful Asian invader preys on crops and common plants.
Due to the threat they pose to agriculture, the Department of Agriculture imposed a quarantine on spotted lanternflies across 20 counties in Maryland, including Montgomery County, in 2024. Montgomery County is listed as “infested”, while neighboring counties including Howard County, Frederick County fall under “heavily infested”.
Invasive Characteristics
Spotted lanternflies nest along the trunks and stems of plants and suck phloem, the sugar-rich vascular tissue of plants, or sap. They do not bite or sting and are non-toxic to humans and animals.
Besides damaging crop yields by feeding on key agricultural crops, they also produce a sticky sugary fluid when feeding. This fluid can cause sooty mold, which further damages plants, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service…