CORVALLIS, Ore. — Spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that poses a threat to Oregon’s vineyards, nursery stock and forests, isn’t established in the state — but experts remain vigilant after an unconfirmed report in Portland and earlier detections in the Willamette Valley.
Two adult spotted lanternflies were found at separate nurseries in the Willamette Valley in fall 2020. Since then, there have been no confirmed sightings.
“I don’t want to spend the last portion of my career dealing with another invasive insect,” Vaughn Walton, Oregon State University Extension Service horticultural entomologist and professor in the Department of Horticulture, said in 2021. “Early reports of spotted lanternfly are crucial to limiting its spread and the damage it does. People can help. They are our eyes for us. We can’t be everywhere.”
"Early reports of spotted lanternfly are crucial to limiting its spread and the damage it does. People can help. They are our eyes for us. We can’t be everywhere.”
On May 12, the Oregon Department of Agriculture was notified of a possible sighting submitted through iNaturalist, showing what appeared to be an early-stage spotted lanternfly nymph at Colonel Summers Park in Portland.
In response, the department, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Plant Protection and Quarantine and the Washington State Department of Agriculture conducted surveys in and around the park, set monitoring traps and engaged residents. No additional signs of the insect were found, and the sighting remains unconfirmed.
The state and federal agencies will continue monitoring the area. Until a physical specimen is collected and confirmed, spotted lanternfly is not considered present in Oregon.
Although Oregon has not documented an established population, the risk remains. In recent years, the Oregon Department of Agriculture has intercepted several dead adult lanternflies and one live egg mass on incoming cargo and equipment from infested states. These incidents underscore the likelihood of accidental introductions as goods and vehicles travel from areas where the insect is well established.
“The fact is, if you have movement of plants and goods over very long distances, it’s inevitable that some insects get in,” Walton said in 2021.
Native to China, Vietnam and Taiwan, spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) was first detected in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014. As of early 2025, the spotted lanternfly has been confirmed in 18 states, mostly in the East and Midwest.
If established in Oregon, the insect could threaten industries including wine grapes, hops, small fruits, timber and nursery crops.
The nymph stages feed aggressively on grapevines and other fruit crops, as well as a wide range of ornamental and woody plants. They pierce stems and bark to suck sap, weakening plants and reducing photosynthesis. In large numbers, they can kill the plant. Even when they don’t, their sugary honeydew excretions attract aphids and lead to mold growth, making crops unsuitable for market.
The insect spreads primarily through human activity. Egg masses, which are laid from September through November, are especially likely to be moved long distances.
According to Walton, spotted lanternfly egg masses are hard to detect and can be laid on almost any hard surface, such as vehicles, trailers, yard equipment, stones and trees. The eggs are laid in clusters covered by a white, putty-like substance that dries gray and begins to crack over time. Old masses resemble rows of brownish seedlike deposits about an inch and a half long.
Oregonians are encouraged to help with early detection efforts. If you see a suspected spotted lanternfly or egg mass, collect the specimen if possible, take clear photos, and report the sighting. Use the Oregon Invasive Species Hotline, email [email protected], or call 503-986-4636.
For more information on identification and how to respond, refer to OSU Extension’s Pest alert: Spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that may impact Oregon or visit the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s spotted lanternfly webpage.
Previously titled Sightings of spotted lanternflies worry farmers, nursery industry
