TIPS Project:

Spotted Lanternfly

2023 Complete

Final summary

There is great news and disappointment as a result of this project. Wonderfully, we did not find spotted lanternfly or tree-of-heaven (TOH) and no new round leaf bittersweet infestations were found in SE Minnesota. Volunteer engagement was disappointing and many of the predesignated points did not get checked during the 2023 field season. In total 3 volunteers visited 51 points. The quality of the images and the volunteer plant identification was very good. Two volunteers did the activity as expected and one only surveyed for spotted lanternfly and TOH. Jon supplied a very nice summary of the Survey123 data which can be found in the SLF_Tree of Heaven Survey_ResultSummary_2023 pdf document. Eastern black walnut and riverbank grape were the two most commonly reported plants (n=19 for each). The two most common habitats were Edge: Field/Forest and Edge: Trail together accounting for 56% of the plots. (n=51).

How to join the project

No need to register, just follow these steps!
Use the resources on this page to learn how to correctly identify spotted lanternfly and its host plants.
Download the FieldMap app and Survey123 app on your smartphone, and follow the directions on this page to learn how to use them for data collection.
Visit locations pinned on the FieldMap app and use Survey123 to record the presence of spotted lanternfly or its host plants at the site.

Watch the training recording

This video is autocaptioned. Please contact Angie Gupta at agupta@umn.edu if you need additional acommodations.

In June we'll launch a project asking volunteers in Goodhue, Houston, Fillmore, Wabasha and Winona counties to visit pre-identified locations to look for spotted lanternfly (SLF) and plants on which SLF can complete it's life cycle: tree-of-heaven, round leaf bittersweet, common hops, American black walnut and butternut and riverbank grape which is important because SLF impacts domestic grapes. Information will be reported through a Survey123 app on a smartphone.

As always, reports of spotted lanternfly, tree-of-heaven and new reports of round leaf bittersweet should also be reported directly to the EDDMapS app.

This is a more complicated TIPS project then some others we've run. As a result this webpage has quite a bit more information. Please carefully go through the resources and reference back to this site as needed.

SLF: Why it matters.

From the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's (MDA) spotted lanternfly webpage:

The primary hosts of spotted lanternfly are tree of heaven and grapes. However, in Korea, it has been recorded attacking 65 different species; many of these same genera occur in Minnesota including apple, grape, willow, oak, walnut, silver maple, common lilac, poplar, eastern white pine, and rose. Tree of heaven is not widely present in Minnesota, and it is possible that spotted lanternfly would not thrive in Minnesota without this important host. If spotted lanternfly did become established in Minnesota, it could impact grape, apple and nursery production.

SLF Identification & Life cycle

Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, is a flashy insect during most of it's life stages which makes it eye catching and fairly easy to identify. However it has a complicated life cycle and can us many, many host species. Watch this video (6:26) from Penn State Extension to learn more.

Report to EDDMapS if you suspect you've found any life stage of spotted lanternfly.

More great information about SLF can be found at the New York State website.

Where to look

Click below for updated map

Click here to access map that automatically updates when people visit and report from each location. Download the FieldMap app to your smartphone for better map usability; follow the directions here.

Report: Survey 123

Download the Survey123 to identify points, navigate, take reports and upload data. You do not need to sign-in to use this survey tool. Visit this information sheet to download and use this Survey123 project.

Take Better Photos

The Survey123 and EDDMapS reporting systems rely on good photos. Watch this short (1:01) iNaturalist video to improve your identification photos.

Host plants on which spotted lanternfly can complete its life cycle

Invasive plants on which spotted lanternfly can complete its lifecycle

Tree-of-heaven: Identification

Tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus altissima, has been on the MDA's Eradicate Noxious Weed list for years, so on the rare occasion it's been reported in Minnesota it's been destroyed. Tree-of-heaven is an aggressive invasive plant, it is also a preferred host of spotted lanternfly. Watch this video (3:47) to learn how to identify tree-of-heaven.

Report to EDDMapS if you suspect you've found tree-of-heaven.

Tree-of-heaven: look-alikes

Tree-of-heaven has several native look likes including sumac and walnut. Watch this video (5:06) to learn how to differentiate tree-of-heaven. We do not need the native look-alikes reported unless they are at a pre-designated location, more information on that elsewhere on this webpage.

Round leaf bittersweet

Round leaf bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus, (formerly called Oriental bittersweet) is on the MN Control Noxious Weed list. Watch this the first 2 minutes of this video to learn how to identify it. It has been managed aggressively in Minnesota for years in Winona, Red Wing and other southeastern Minnesota areas.

Please report only new infestations to EDDMapS (while in the field you can use the EDDMapS smartphone app to see if it's been reported near you).

Native plants on which spotted lanternfly can complete its life cycle

All questions about this project should be directed to Angela Gupta, UMN Extension Forester, agupta@umn.edu

Common hops

Native common hops, Humulus lupulus, is a large vine with leaves that usually have 3-5 lobes. It can be confused with invasive Japanese hops which is on the MDA's Eradiate list. For more detailed common hops identification visit the MN Wildflowers website.

Photo by David Gent, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org

Riverbank grape

Native riverbank grape, Vitis riparia, is a large perennial woody vine with simple, lobed leaves. that can produce editable wild grapes. For more more detailed riverbank grape identification visit MN Wildflowers website.

Photo by David Cappaert, Bugwood.org

American black walnut

Black walnut, Juglans nigra, is a common large tree in southeastern Minnesota. It has large compound leave, chocolate colored bark and large walnut seeds. Watch the above Purdue University video (2:23) to learn more.

Butternut

Butternut, Juglans cinerea, trees are large native trees that have been killed over the last few decades because of butternut canker. Now it's often easier to identify butternut because of the canker. Watch the great Purdue University identification video (3:01) above. Purdue also has this great factsheet: Identification of Butternuts and Butternut Hybrids.

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