Get ready to stomp: Spotted lanternflies are about to reappear
The battle to beat the bug is back. Spotted lanternflies, which have overwintered in egg masses, are about to hatch and make their reappearance as nymphs in mid- to late April, said Virginia Tech entomologist Eric Day.
“The spotted lanternfly is well-established up and down the East Coast and in Virginia,” said Day, who manages the Insect Identification Lab in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Department of Entomology. “It’s really a perfect invasive storm. We are moving from detecting and reporting it to managing it and reaching out to those who are potentially impacted.”
As Virginia prepares to receive its unwelcome guests, Day offers several updates on the upcoming season and reminders on how to help contain the spread.