Mississippi State University Extension Service scientists asked the public on Sept. 30, 2026, to watch for the invasive spotted lanternfly, which has not yet been detected in Mississippi and can devastate fruit crops and create sticky, mold-promoting honeydew in landscapes, the Extension said.
Jermaine Perier, an Extension entomologist who focuses on insect pests of fruits, vegetables and nuts, said Mississippi’s small-scale fruit production areas could suffer if the insect becomes established and that early detection is important because impacts on small farms and gardens could be missed without public awareness.
Adults are about 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide, with brown forewings bearing black spots and a speckled rear band, scarlet hind wings with black spots and white-and-black bars, and a yellow-and-black-banded abdomen. Nymphs are wingless and measure roughly 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch long; early nymphs are black with white spots and the final nymph stage is redder. Nymphs are very active, often occur in large groups and will jump when disturbed, the Extension said.
The state’s expanding grape industry would be at particular economic risk, the Extension said. Perier noted that vineyards in other states have experienced reduced vine vigor, lower fruit quality and increased management costs following infestations, and he cited a 2019 Pennsylvania estimate of $49 million to $99 million in statewide losses for susceptible crops.
The insect feeds on a range of hosts. The Extension listed grapes, apples and peaches among susceptible crops and said landscape hosts in Mississippi include red maple, Virginia creeper and the invasive Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven), which Zia Williamson, an Extension entomologist who focuses on ornamentals, forages and turf, said is especially attractive to the pest.
Williamson said much of the concern in residential areas is the “mess” spotted lanternfly creates: as they feed they excrete sugary honeydew that coats surfaces, promotes black sooty mold and, in large amounts, can ferment and produce a vinegary odor. Adults and nymphs often cluster near the bottom and in the canopy of trees during the day, she said.
Egg masses are flat, look like a spot of mud, are covered in a glue-like substance and contain about 30 to 50 eggs. They are roughly an inch long and can be seen in fall, winter and spring; the sticky coating causes them to adhere to almost anything, including vehicles, bricks, fences and equipment, the Extension said.
The Extension urged people who suspect they have found adults, nymphs or egg masses to contact their local Extension office. If possible, take a photo of adults or nymphs or capture them in rubbing alcohol. The guidance says to scrape egg masses into a zip-close bag containing alcohol-based hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol and dispose of the bag in the trash; adults and nymphs should be crushed.
Perier said the pest already has a foothold in the Southeast, with repeated collections in Georgia and Tennessee, and advised people traveling to or through states with known populations to inspect and clean vehicles as they leave those states, especially from July to October when spotted lanternflies are most active. He said the insect appears to be adapting to more southern climates and that Atlanta has been the furthest-south recent detection he cited.
For more information, the Extension recommended the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website. The article is a product of the Mississippi State University Extension Service.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
