Infestations of the invasive pest have been found in 2024 in communities across the state.
As new infestations of the spotted lanternfly continue to be found in Massachusetts, officials are urging the public to learn how to identify the pest to help proactively detect the invasive species.
Millbury is the latest community in the state to report finding the insects, which feed on the sap of trees and other plants. Native to China, it was first found in the United States in Pennsylvania in September 2014, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has been warning the insect poses a risk of impacting the nation’s grape, orchard, and logging industries if it is allowed to spread.
Spotted lanternflies lay eggs on “almost any surface,” including cars, trailers, and patio furniture, which officials said allows them to be spread across long distances when people travel with infested materials.
The first infestation of the insect was found in 2021, according to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR).