by Summer Roberts,
​WCCD Community Forester

​Do you have an invasive tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) in your yard, farm, or woodlot?  Then you have a love match for the invasive spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula).  Don’t let this insect’s strikingly pretty appearance fool you!  This planthopper, native to China and Southeast Asia, damages over 70 species of trees, as well as vines and shrubs, through direct sap feeding as well as indirectly by creating excretions that attract mold.  Tree-of-heaven, also native to China and once widely planted in the eastern United States for erosion control and as a street tree, is a highly preferred host plant for the insect. 
Why is this important?  Damage from spotted lanternfly (SLF) activity can stunt plant growth and may lead to plant death, meaning this insect could cause significant damage to fruit, hops, nursery, landscape, and logging industries as well as irritate a lot of home gardeners.  SLF females can lay their eggs on lots of different surfaces, including vehicles, outdoor furniture, equipment, and trees/logs.  SLF has not yet been reported in Michigan, but it is widespread in Pennsylvania, New York and other northeastern states and some cases have been cataloged in Ohio and Indiana.  So, if you are traveling across state lines, check your vehicle and equipment for egg masses and don’t move firewood!  In general, buy certified, heat-treated firewood or local firewood (i.e., 10 miles or closer to where you’ll burn it) to prevent transporting insects and disease. 

Female Lanternfly
Jenn Forman Orth. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Via flickr

​Need help identifying whether you have tree-of-heaven on your property?  Want to see photos of the spotted lanternfly in all its life stages so you know what to look for?  Curious how to manage for either of these invasive species?   Check out the helpful organizations and articles below for more information:
Find info on tree-of-heaven, including photos, identification help, and treatment options, at PennState Extension’s “Tree-of-Heaven” article: extension.psu.edu/tree-of-heaven
Find info on SLF, including photos and life cycle, and how to report a sighting in MSUE’s “Spotted Lanternfly: A Colorful Cause for Concern” article: canr.msu.edu/resources/spotted-lanternfly-a-colorful-cause-for-concern
Find info to answer those burning questions on firewood, including what certified, heat-treated firewood is and where to buy it at The Nature Conservancy’s “Don’t Move Firewood” website: dontmovefirewood.org
Find more invasive species information or to talk to a local expert visit Jackson, Lenawee and Washtenaw Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (JLW CISMA): jlwcisma.weebly.com or contact Dr. Shikha Singh via Email: [email protected] or Phone: (517)395-2089

Tree of Heaven
​​​Luis Fernández García, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons