Spotted Lanternfly in Camden County: What Homeowners and Property Owners Need to Know

Spotted Lanternfly Is Established in Camden County

Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) arrived in New Jersey from Pennsylvania and is now confirmed throughout Camden County. The NJ Department of Agriculture has placed Camden County within the spotted lanternfly quarantine zone, meaning residents and businesses must follow specific rules about moving plant material and outdoor items. This invasive pest from Asia does not bite or sting humans, but it poses serious risk to ornamental trees, fruit plantings, grapes, and hops across Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Gloucester Township, and the rural communities near Winslow Township.

Identifying Spotted Lanternfly: Life Stages to Watch For

Spotted lanternfly has four distinct life stages Camden County residents should recognize:

• Egg masses (September through June): Flat, gray, putty-like masses containing 30 to 50 eggs on smooth surfaces — tree bark, stone walls, fence posts, outdoor furniture, and vehicles. New egg masses look like gray smears; older ones crack like dried mud. Scraping and destroying egg masses is the single most impactful action homeowners can take.
• Early nymphs (May through July): Small, black with white spots. They aggregate on host plants in large numbers.
• Late nymphs (July through September): Develop red coloring with black and white spots. More mobile than early instars.
• Adults (July through December): Gray forewings with black spots; bright red hindwings visible in flight. Adults congregate in massive numbers on preferred host plants in fall.

What Spotted Lanternfly Damages in Camden County

The pest's preferred host is tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), an invasive tree that grows abundantly along roadsides and disturbed areas throughout Camden County. When tree of heaven is scarce, spotted lanternfly attacks high-value plants including ornamental maples (heavily targeted in Cherry Hill and Voorhees residential landscapes), backyard fruit trees (apples, peaches, cherries) common across South Jersey, grapes and hops relevant to small-scale production in Winslow Township and rural Camden County, and walnuts, lindens, and willows. Heavy feeding causes oozing wounds, dieback, and sticky honeydew that promotes sooty mold growth that blackens surfaces and further weakens affected plants.

County Programs vs. Private Professional Treatment

The NJ Department of Agriculture and Camden County offer public resources and educational programs related to spotted lanternfly. These programs focus on monitoring, reporting, and public awareness. They do not provide individual property treatment. Property owners in Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Haddonfield, and Gloucester Township who want to protect specific ornamental trees, fruit plantings, or landscape investments need private professional service.

Private treatment options include trunk injection (delivers systemic insecticide directly into the tree's vascular system for season-long protection), systemic soil drench (absorbed through the root system), and contact spray to reduce adult aggregations. Egg mass removal services in fall reduce next-season populations before spring hatch. Report sightings to the NJ Department of Agriculture at sl.survey.nj.gov regardless of whether you pursue private treatment.

Your Quarantine Obligations as a Camden County Property Owner

All Camden County residents and businesses must inspect outdoor items before moving them out of the quarantine zone. This includes vehicles, landscaping equipment, outdoor furniture, and nursery stock. Businesses that transport regulated items professionally must obtain a NJ Department of Agriculture permit. Failure to comply with quarantine requirements can result in fines.

To schedule spotted lanternfly treatment for your Cherry Hill, Voorhees, or Gloucester Township property, call Camden County Pest Control at (856) 600-0812. We provide trunk injection, systemic treatment, and contact spray for ornamental trees and landscape plants throughout Camden County.