05/30/2026
Spotted Lanternfly has hatched out across many areas of West Virginia. This is the first year that their populations will be very high across Monongalia County. At present, the insects are black with white spots. Soon, they will be red with black and white markings. To reduce the amount of these insect pests around your neighborhood, remove tree-of-heaven and treat freshly cut stumps with herbicide. Insects can also be killed with insecticides. Some examples of insecticides that can be used are Sevin and Talak. Although there is no need to report sightings of spotted lanternfly in the Morgantown area, if you have questions about spotted lanternfly or tree-of-heaven, contact the WVDA at bugbusters.wvda.us