Tuesday, July 14, 2026

First Adult Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) observation of the year

Last year, I made my first adult Lycorma delicatula observation on 6 July 2025. This year, it was 8 days later (14 July 2026). A large stand of mature Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) were cut down in mid- and late June. These trees were were many of the egg masses from the fall were observed and they made for good observation points. 

This observation was on a young Tree-of-Heaven.

With the large number of (visible) egg masses in my neighborhood in the fall and the large number of black and red nymphs, I fear it will be another booming year. 

In 2025, I made 1,519 observations in Arlington, Virginia.