Spotted Lanternfly Nymph (Early Instar)

Natural Habitat

Found on a wide variety of plants, including tree-of-heaven, grapevines, fruit trees, and various hardwoods in urban, suburban, and forested areas.

Diet & Feeding

Phloem feeders that use piercing-sucking mouthparts to drink sap from over 70 different plant species.

Behavior Patterns

Active jumpers that move quickly when disturbed; they undergo hemimetabolous metamorphosis, starting as black with white spots before turning red in their 4th instar stage.

Risks & Benefits

Highly invasive and destructive agricultural pest that causes significant damage to vineyards and orchards; they excrete 'honeydew' which promotes mold growth and attracts other pests.

Identified on: 6/1/2026