The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that is becoming a growing concern in Central Ohio. First discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014, the pest has continued spreading into nearby states and threatens agriculture, forests, gardens, and neighborhoods throughout Ohio.

Growing up, ash trees dominated the woods surrounding my family’s property. They were among my favorite trees to climb, and the time I spent beneath their canopy helped inspire my passion for arboriculture. Over the years, however, watching those same trees decline because of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) transformed the issue from a distant ecological concern into something deeply personal.

The tiny nymphs that overwintered on some of our landscape trees are actively sucking up delicious phloem with their little straws and releasing their sticky waste.