Damaging insect sighted in bordering states.
Writer
Linda Geist-
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The spotted lanternfly, which is likely to appear in Missouri in 2025, is of particular concern to Missouri's $4.2 billion wine and grape industry because it attacks grapes, says Dean Volenberg, MU Extension viticulturist. Photo courtesy of Kevin Rice, Virginia Tech. -
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The spotted lanternfly is easiest to spot at dusk or at night as they move up and down the trunks of plants, according to MU Extension urban entomologist Emily Althoff. Photo courtesy of Kevin Rice, Virginia Tech.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri residents are urged to be on the lookout for spotted lanternfly (SLF), an insect that could have devastating effects on the state’s $4.2 billion wine and grape industry. SLF can damage fruits including grapes, as well as ornamentals and urban landscapes.
Since its first detection in Pennsylvania in 2014, SLF has been found in 19 states, including states that neighbor Missouri, says University of Missouri Extension and Lincoln University urban entomologist Emily Althoff. SLF has been intercepted three times in Missouri since 2022.
Althoff says SLF could be spotted on shipping materials from now until December. Those in agriculture and transportation should inspect equipment for this insect, which hitchhikes across country on metal objects such as trains and other vehicles.
Althoff said it important to know what SLF looks like in various stages. She noted that it may appear as egg masses, nymphs or adults on vehicles and equipment. Live SLF are easiest to spot at dusk or night when they move up and down the trunks of plants. SLF’s preferred host is tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima). Learn more about SLF in the MU Integrated Pest Management article “Keeping an Eye Out for the Invasive Spotted Lanternfly.”
Fifteen dead nymphs were found in Missouri on trucks in St. Joseph in 2022, and dead adults were reported in Hazelwood the same year. Most recently, dead adults were intercepted in Union in 2025.
Althoff says the interceptions indicate that there is public awareness of this invasive pest. She urges continued vigilance and asks Missourians to report any suspected sightings to the Missouri Department of Agriculture. (MDA)
“Public awareness will be critical in detecting and controlling this invasive pest to prevent economic and ecologic losses,” says Dean Volenberg, head of MU Grape and Wine Institute. “If allowed to spread, SLF could have a devastating effect on Missouri fruits, including grapes, ornamental and forest industries.”
Report suspected SLF presence to plantpest@mda.mo.gov. Send an in-focus photo and note the date and location where the insect was found. Collect the specimen and store it in a jar for possible MDA inspection, Althoff says.
Photos
Spotted lanternfly on corn
The spotted lanternfly is of particular concern to Missouri’s $4.2 billion wine and grape industry because it attacks grapes, says Dean Volenberg, MU Extension viticulturist. Photo courtesy of Kevin Rice, Virginia Tech.
Spotted lanternfly on tree trunk
The spotted lanternfly is easiest to spot at dusk or at night as they move up and down the trunks of plants, according to MU Extension urban entomologist Emily Althoff. Photo courtesy of Kevin Rice, Virginia Tech.
