Spotted Lanternfly Spreading in Burlington County NJ — What to Do

Spotted Lanternfly Is Spreading Across Burlington County This Spring

If you've noticed unusual insects congregating on your trees, or discovered gray, mud-like patches smeared across fence posts and tree bark this spring, you may be looking at spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) — one of the most aggressively spreading invasive pests in New Jersey. Burlington County is fully within the NJ Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine Zone, and populations have been confirmed and documented throughout communities including Evesham Township, Medford, Moorestown, Marlton, Mount Laurel, Bordentown, Lumberton, and Burlington City.

April and May are the most critical months of the year for spotted lanternfly management. Egg masses are hatching right now across Burlington County — and taking action during the early nymph stage is significantly more effective than waiting until summer or fall when adults are established and populations are at their peak. This guide gives you a clear picture of where things stand in Burlington County, what to look for on your property, and exactly what to do next.

What Is Spotted Lanternfly and Why Does It Matter?

Spotted lanternfly (SLF) is a planthopper — not a fly — originally from China and Vietnam that arrived in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 2014 and has since spread into all 21 New Jersey counties. Unlike many invasive insects, SLF does not bite, sting, or damage structures. Its damage is entirely to plants: it pierces the stems, bark, and leaves of host plants and extracts sap, weakening the plant over time and excreting a sticky waste product called “honeydew” that coats outdoor surfaces and promotes the growth of black sooty mold.

For Burlington County homeowners, the most immediate consequences are:

• Damage to ornamental trees and shrubs including maples, birches, oaks, and willows
• Destruction of fruit trees — apples, peaches, and cherries are all preferred hosts
• Contamination of outdoor spaces with honeydew and sooty mold that coats decks, patio furniture, and vehicles parked under host trees
• Severe agricultural impact for Burlington County growers of grapes, hops, and tree fruit

Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), the spotted lanternfly's most preferred host plant, grows abundantly along roadsides, woodland edges, and disturbed areas throughout Burlington County. Wherever tree-of-heaven grows, SLF populations build rapidly. And in Burlington County, tree-of-heaven is everywhere — which is a core reason why the pest has established so effectively in communities from Southampton Township to Burlington City.

The 2026 SLF Calendar: What's Happening Right Now

Understanding the spotted lanternfly life cycle tells you when each type of management is most effective. Here is where things stand in Burlington County in April 2026:

• March – April (now): Egg masses are hatching. Eggs were laid in the fall in smooth gray masses that look like dried mud on tree bark, stone, vehicles, and outdoor furniture. First-instar nymphs are tiny — about 3mm — black with white spots. This is the single most important management window: destroying egg masses and treating first-instar nymphs eliminates the greatest number of individuals at the lowest cost.
• May – July: Nymph development continues through four instars. Second and third instars remain black with white spots. Fourth-instar nymphs (July) are red and black — highly distinctive. Population pressure builds rapidly during this period as surviving nymphs develop into reproducing adults.
• August – November: Adults emerge with their characteristic gray-speckled forewings and striking red-and-black hind wings. They congregate in enormous numbers on preferred host trees — especially tree-of-heaven — to feed intensively before the breeding season. Fall aggregations are when Burlington County homeowners see the most dramatic and visible populations.
• October – December: Adults mate and females lay overwintering egg masses on smooth surfaces. A single female can lay one to two egg masses, each containing 30–50 eggs. Egg masses hatch the following spring.

Is Tree-of-Heaven on Your Burlington County Property?

The single most impactful step Burlington County property owners can take to reduce spotted lanternfly pressure is identifying and eliminating tree-of-heaven. Ailanthus altissima is an extremely aggressive invasive tree that grows along fence lines, at woodland edges, in disturbed areas along roads, and even in foundation plantings where seeds have blown in unnoticed.

Identifying tree-of-heaven:

• Compound leaves with 11–41 leaflets, each with a distinctive gland at the base that emits a peanut-butter-like smell when crushed
• Smooth gray bark on young trees that develops rough texture with age
• Greenish-white flower clusters in summer; reddish-brown winged seeds (samaras) that persist through fall
• Extremely rapid growth — can grow 6 feet in a single season

Critical warning: Cutting tree-of-heaven without treating the stump causes explosive resprouting from the root system. Effective removal requires stump treatment with herbicide immediately after cutting. Do not cut tree-of-heaven without a treatment plan for the stump — an improperly cut tree will regrow as a dense multi-stem thicket that's harder to manage than the original tree.

Egg Mass Scraping: What to Do Right Now in Burlington County

If you find spotted lanternfly egg masses on your Burlington County property, scraping and destroying them is the highest-impact action you can take today. Here is the correct technique:

1. Prepare a container with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) or hand sanitizer — SLF eggs are killed by alcohol contact.
2. Use a hard card (a credit card or stiff plastic scraper) to scrape egg masses directly into the container. Scrape from top to bottom to capture all eggs.
3. Check all smooth hard surfaces on your property: tree bark (especially of tree-of-heaven, maple, and willow), stone walls, fence posts, wood decks, outdoor furniture, vehicles, and equipment stored outside.
4. Dispose of the container in a sealed bag in the trash. Do not leave scraped eggs in a pile — they remain viable until they dry out.

Each egg mass you destroy eliminates 30–50 spotted lanternfly before they become feeding nymphs. On properties with high tree-of-heaven density — common in wooded areas of Medford, Shamong, and along the Rancocas Creek corridor in Hainesport — dedicated egg mass scraping in April can meaningfully reduce the local population.

Professional Treatment Options for Burlington County Homeowners

While egg mass scraping and tree-of-heaven management are effective individual actions, properties with significant SLF pressure, high-value trees, or agricultural plantings benefit from professional treatment. A licensed NJ pest control applicator can provide:

• Contact insecticide treatment during nymph stages: Direct application to aggregating nymphs on host trees and landscape plantings. Most effective May through July. Professional-grade products provide faster knockdown and longer residual activity than consumer alternatives.
• Systemic tree injection: Insecticides injected directly into high-value trees are taken up through the tree's vascular system and kill SLF feeding on the treated tree for the remainder of the season. Particularly valuable for protecting fruit trees, ornamental maples, and other trees at risk of serious feeding damage in Marlton, Evesham Township, and Moorestown landscapes.
• Trunk band treatment: Application of insecticide to a band of bark around the trunk of preferred host trees, creating a contact kill zone for SLF as they travel up and down the tree.
• Tree-of-heaven removal and stump treatment: Professional removal with immediate herbicide stump application eliminates the primary host plant driver of your local population. This is the most durable long-term intervention for Burlington County properties with established tree-of-heaven.

Burlington County Residents Must Report Spotted Lanternfly

New Jersey residents who observe spotted lanternfly are asked to report sightings to the NJ Department of Agriculture (NJDA) using the SLF online reporting tool at nj.gov/agriculture. Sighting reports help the NJDA track population spread and prioritize management resources across Burlington County and the broader South Jersey region.

If you are moving vehicles, equipment, firewood, or nursery stock out of Burlington County, you are legally obligated under the New Jersey Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine to inspect those materials and not knowingly transport spotted lanternfly egg masses or live insects. Check vehicles and outdoor equipment before traveling, especially if you've been parked near tree-of-heaven or in heavily infested areas.

Frequently Asked Questions: Spotted Lanternfly in Burlington County

Can spotted lanternfly kill my trees?

Spotted lanternfly rarely kills otherwise healthy, established trees outright. However, heavy feeding pressure over multiple seasons weakens trees, reduces their vigor, and leaves them susceptible to secondary infections and environmental stressors. Young trees, recently planted trees, and already-stressed trees are at greater risk. Fruit trees and grapevines are the most economically vulnerable, as SLF feeding directly reduces yield and can kill vines in severe infestations. In Burlington County's residential landscapes, the most common visible impact is sooty mold from honeydew accumulation, which coats leaves, decking, and patio surfaces beneath heavily infested trees.

What is the best time to treat spotted lanternfly in Burlington County?

The most effective treatment windows are April through June for nymph control and late summer for systemic tree injections protecting against adult feeding. April is especially valuable because first-instar nymphs are concentrated, highly mobile on accessible surfaces, and susceptible to a wide range of treatment options. Waiting until adults are visible in August or September reduces the effectiveness of most contact treatments and means a full season of nymph development has already occurred. For Burlington County homeowners, contacting a licensed professional in April or May gives you the best outcome per treatment dollar spent.

Are spotted lanternflies dangerous to people or pets?

No. Spotted lanternfly does not bite, sting, or transmit disease. It is not a threat to human or pet health. The pest's impact is entirely on plants and outdoor surfaces. However, the honeydew they excrete can create slippery surfaces on decks and patios and promotes mold growth that discolors exterior surfaces. Large fall aggregations on outdoor furniture and vehicles can be disruptive and unpleasant, but pose no direct health risk. The concern with spotted lanternfly in Burlington County is entirely agricultural and horticultural — damage to trees, vineyards, orchards, and ornamental plantings that homeowners and farmers have invested in.

Take Action Now — Burlington County Spotted Lanternfly Is a Spring Priority

The week you are reading this in Burlington County, NJ may be the most effective week of the entire year to act against spotted lanternfly. Egg masses are hatching and first-instar nymphs are vulnerable. If your property has tree-of-heaven, fruit trees, ornamental maples, or a history of visible SLF aggregations in fall, scheduling a professional assessment now puts you ahead of the curve before populations build to their summer and fall peaks in communities across Burlington County including Evesham Township, Marlton, Medford, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Lumberton, and Bordentown.

Our team serves all of Burlington County with licensed spotted lanternfly treatment programs timed to the life cycle stages where professional intervention is most impactful. Contact us for a free property assessment and treatment plan.