A few weeks ago, a longtime volunteer with N.C. Cooperative Extension, New Hanover County Center and Arboretum sent me a photo taken from her patio table. The insect resting there had mottled wings and long legs, and she said she had never seen anything like it in her garden. She wanted to know if it was something to worry about.

It turned out to be a wheel bug, a beneficial predator that helps keep other insect pests in check. But her instinct to ask was the right one, and it reminded me that we should all learn to recognize one particular invasive insect before it ever shows up here: the spotted lanternfly, often shortened to SLF.

The spotted lanternfly is a planthopper native to Asia that was first detected in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014. It reached North Carolina in June 2022, when an established population was confirmed in Forsyth County. Populations have since also been found in Rockingham and Caldwell counties. New Hanover County has no confirmed population at this time, but the pest continues to expand its range across the state and along the East Coast, so coastal gardeners should learn to recognize it early.

This insect feeds on more than 100 kinds of plants, including grapevines, fruit trees, and hardwoods such as maple and oak, and it especially favors tree-of-heaven, an invasive tree common in disturbed areas. Heavy infestations can severely damage vineyards and stress landscape and orchard trees.

As with any pest, learning the life cycle helps with early detection. Egg masses, laid in fall and visible into spring, look like a smear of dried mud on tree bark or outdoor furniture. Young nymphs are black with white spots, later developing red patches as they mature. Adults are about an inch long, with gray, black-spotted forewings that open to reveal bright red hindwings.

Dr. Kelly Oten, a forest health specialist with N.C. State Extension, has led much of the research and outreach on this pest in our state. Her factsheets, identification guides, and management resources for homeowners, nurseries, and landscapers are available through N.C. State Extension's forestry website. If you believe you have found a spotted lanternfly, take a clear photo and report it to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services through their online reporting tool.

None of us wants to be the person who finds the first spotted lanternfly in New Hanover County, but if it happens, an early report could make all the difference in slowing its spread. In the meantime, keep an eye on any tree-of-heaven nearby, take photos of anything unfamiliar, and don't hesitate to ask questions. That instinct to look closer is exactly what keeps our local ecosystem healthy.

Gabriella de Souza is the Consumer Horticulture Agent for N.C. Cooperative Extension in New Hanover County, located at the New Hanover County Arboretum. She can be reached at gadesouz@ncsu.edu.