Lantern Flies

A sap‑feeding pest that hops and flies onto trees, vines and ornamentals, leaving sticky honeydew behind. The honeydew grows black mold and attracts stinging insects, so infestations create both mess and secondary problems. Adults are strikingly colorful but their egg masses look like smears of mud, making them easy to overlook on bark, patio furniture or vehicles. Mechanical removal of egg masses, tree banding and systemic insecticides are the main control tools because natural predators are still catching up with this recent invader.