Warning: One of New York's Most-Hated Pests Returns This Month

Despite the rumored snow storm later this week, Spring has officially arrived in New York State, and it's bringing one of the area's most-despised pests along with it.

New York's native flora and fauna are under near-constant threats from invasive species. Unfortunately, the month of April marks the return of an insect that has been one of the worst threats to local plants since it was first spotted in 2020.

Starting in April, spotted lanternfly eggs will begin to hatch in New York state. The nymphs will later turn into adults (above) (arlutz73 via Canva)

The Spotted Lanternfly in New York State

The spotted lanternfly, an insect that was first seen in the United States in 2014, was accidentally introduced from China. While the pest has only been in the states for a short period of time, they have unfortunately travelled from the original introduction site in Pennsylvania to areas as far as Michigan and Illinois (below). This month is a very important time in the battle against their spread.

A map from Cornell University shows the spread of the Spotted Lanternfly (Cornell CALS)

Fighting Back Against the Spotted Lanternfly

There are several ways to fight back against the spotted lanternfly in New York. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) has specific instructions for residents who find egg masses (below), but this month, those eggs will start to hatch...

The New York State DEC shows an example of spotted lanternfly eggs on the underside of a rock. These eggs should be crushed with a credit card or similar object (NYSDEC)

When Spotted Lanternfly Eggs Will Hatch in New York State

The NYSDEC shares that the spotted lanternfly can start to make an appearance in New York as early as April, which means that the target for residents begins to shift from finding lanternfly eggs to spotting lanternfly nymphs. This month, nymphs will appear black with white spots, before transitioning to a red color (below).

The New York State DEC tells New Yorkers to destroy spotted lanternfly nymphs on sight (arlutz73/GummyBone via Canva)

Invasive Species in New York State

The spotted lanternfly is just one of many invasive species to make their home in New York. See which plants are banned in the state here, and keep scrolling to see photos of some of the worst offenders below.

5 of New York's Most Devastating Invasive Species

Here are 5 species that have invaded New York State and in some cases they must be killed. We are talking about fish that walk on land, plants that cause severe burns and insects that could wipe out a variety of crops that we rely on.

Keep an eye out for these species and you hike, work around the yard or do some fishing this year. Should you locate any of these it is important to report where and when you found them to the New York State DEC.

Gallery Credit: Karolyi

New York State's Invasive Plants To Be On The Lookout For

These seven invasive plants have become a nuisance to the wildlife and people living in New York State. Learn more about them and how to remove them at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation here.