Rehoboth Beach under spotted lanternfly quarantine

Rehoboth Beach is among several Sussex County areas now under quarantine to prevent the spread of spotted lanternflies.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture issued the quarantine July 12 for Rehoboth Beach, Georgetown, Ocean View, Milford and Seaford. Under the quarantine, officials said, residents, businesses and municipalities cannot move any material or object that could harbor the pest without taking precautions to prevent its spread. Adult lanternflies can fly, hop or drop onto a vehicle, allowing the pests to be transported to new areas where they can create new infestations.

The spotted lanternfly is a destructive, invasive planthopper that attacks many hosts, including trees, shrubs, orchards, grapes and hops. The insect is detrimental to Delaware’s agricultural industry, forests and residential areas, officials said.

“It is practically impossible to eradicate the spotted lanternfly because of its status as a hitchhiker bug,” said Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Nikko Brady. “For a small state, our Spotted Lanternfly Program has done an excellent job in fending off the spread of this invasive insect for five years, and we are just now finding it in Sussex County.”

The first confirmed spotted lanternfly was found in New Castle County in 2017, officials said, and the population had multiplied by 2018. Since then, Delaware’s Spotted Lanternfly Program has treated 23,721 acres with insecticides or herbicides to reduce the spotted lanternfly population. Last fall, officials said, a team reduced the infestation by destroying more than 90,000 egg masses.

The Spotted Lanternfly Program is focused on pathways for the movement of spotted lanternfly, including highways, railways, public transportation and distribution centers.

Managing spotted lanternfly

Homeowners can visit de.gov/hitchhikerbug to learn about the quarantine and how to manage this invasive pest. The Delaware Homeowner Spotted Lanternfly and Treatment Fact Sheet lists pesticides labeled for planthoppers or leafhoppers sold at local home and garden stores, which can be used to kill the insect. Residents can do their part by treating nymphs and adults from May to November, and scraping and destroying egg masses from December to May. Homeowners can also hire a commercially licensed turf and ornamental pesticide applicator to treat their properties for these insects.

At this time, using a systemic insecticide is preferred because it is absorbed by tree roots, bark or leaves and is moved through its vascular system to other parts of the tree, so no matter what area the spotted lanternfly feeds on, it will ingest the insecticide and die.

An invasive tree called the Tree of Heaven should also be eliminated because it attracts spotted lanternflies, officials said. The tree is often found in industrial parks, unmanaged areas and vacant lots, and along highways and railways. Municipalities and businesses should prioritize destroying the female tree of heaven while leaving some male specimens as trap trees, officials said.

Delaware spotted lanternfly quarantine and permitting

The Delaware Resident Spotted Lanternfly Compliance Checklist is available at de.gov/hitchhikerbug. Any person conducting business for a commercial company, a municipality or a government agency that requires movement of any regulated item within or from the quarantine area must have a permit, also available at the website. To obtain a permit, a designated individual from an organization must receive training and pass an online test to demonstrate a working knowledge and understanding of the pest and quarantine requirements. This individual is then required to train other employees to inspect vehicles and products, and remove any spotted lanternfly life stages. The permit demonstrates that the individual understands how to identify the pest and ensure the items transported are not carrying the insect.

Examples of regulated articles include:

• Any living life stage of the spotted lanternfly
• Landscaping, remodeling or construction materials
• Firewood of any species
• Packing materials (e.g., wood crates, boxes)
• All plants and plant parts, including all live and dead trees, perennial and annual plants, and mulch
• Outdoor household articles like RVs, lawnmowers, chairs, grills, tarps, tile, stone, deck boards, and other vehicles not stored indoors.

Reporting spotted lanternfly

Residents who live near the Dover Air Force Base or in Sussex County are encouraged to report sightings of the spotted lanternfly. Citizen reports help inspectors determine how these insects move and transportation pathways they utilize; they also allow DDA to notify agricultural operations with plants vulnerable to this insect. To make a report, go to de.gov/hitchhikerbug or email HitchHikerBug@delaware.gov and including the location of the find in the subject line. Due to the high level of reporting, officials said, inspectors will not respond to emails but will use the information provided to determine if a new spotted lanternfly population is present.