Spotted lanternfly is spreading in Michigan, and MSU Extension is helping Michiganders prepare
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EmailFrom homemade traps and community workshops to preparing growers, MSU Extension is helping Michiganders respond to spotted lanternfly and slow its spread.
Spotted lanternfly has reached a new part of Michigan.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development recently confirmed a population of the invasive insect near Niles in Berrien County, marking the first confirmed population in southwest Michigan. The population was identified through monitoring conducted by the Southwest x Southwest Corner Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area. Previously, confirmed populations in Michigan had been concentrated in the southeastern part of the state in Macomb, Lenawee, Jackson, Monroe, Oakland and Wayne counties, along with a recent detection in Washtenaw County.
First detected in Michigan in 2022, spotted lanternfly feeds on more than 70 plant species, with tree of heaven being a preferred host. Large populations can become a nuisance around homes and communities. This pest can also pose a threat to some crops, particularly grapes and hops.
As the insect continues to become established in Michigan, Michigan State University Extension researchers and educators are working with residents, growers and state and federal partners to detect new populations, slow its spread and help Michigan prepare for what may come next.
Sometimes that work starts with something as simple as a homemade trap wrapped around a tree.
A new way to trap spotted lanternfly
It looks a little like a lampshade when wrapped around a tree. That's also where it gets its name.
MSU forestry entomology researchers Deborah McCullough and Tim Harrison are using a simple "lampshade" trap designed to attract female spotted lanternflies looking for protected places to lay their eggs.
The researchers began evaluating the design after a USDA colleague noticed spotted lanternfly females laying eggs on the rough surface of similar traps in heavily infested areas of Pennsylvania. McCullough and Harrison wanted to know whether females would show the same preference in areas with much lower populations.
They did. During the first two years of research, about 80% of the egg masses found at their study sites were laid on the lampshade traps, even when spotted lanternfly populations were low.
That makes the traps useful for more than simply catching egg masses. They can help detect spotted lanternfly near the edges of known infestations and show whether populations are increasing from year to year.
The traps are made from inexpensive, easy-to-find materials and designed to be something anyone can make themselves. McCullough and Harrison’s how-to guide for building and deploying a lampshade trap conveniently lists what to buy, where to find materials and gives step-by-step instructions for building and installing the finished trap.
The traps are put out in late summer, ideally on a tree of heaven. Traps can stay out through October or mid-November. Unlike other monitoring traps, they don’t require regular replacement of sticky material or collection bags. They also don’t require insecticides and, unlike sticky traps, don’t capture native insects.
At the end of the season, the trap material can be removed and egg masses soaked in soapy water before disposal, preventing the eggs from hatching the following spring. Each egg mass can contain 30 to 50 eggs.
"The lampshade traps are a great way for Michigan residents who are living in or near areas where spotted lanternfly is already present to help themselves,” McCullough says. “People who like DIY projects can set up one or more lampshade traps on trees on their own property, especially if tree of heaven is on their land or nearby."
The traps are not expected to eliminate spotted lanternfly, particularly as populations become larger. But McCullough said they could help delay that buildup.
"We know populations will continue to build and spread in Michigan," she said. "Once spotted lanternfly densities are high, lampshade traps may not have much effect, but if we can push that time back by a few years, it's worth it!"
Taking the work into Michigan communities
MSU Extension consumer horticulture educator Lindsey Kerr is bringing spotted lanternfly workshops to communities in southeast Michigan, with additional programs planned this fall.
The workshops give residents a chance to learn about spotted lanternfly and tree of heaven, see how lampshade traps work and build traps they can use in their own neighborhoods.
"My goal with these workshops is to inform residents about the presence of spotted lanternfly in their community and give them an easy, inexpensive way to take action against the spread of this invasive pest," Kerr says.
That opportunity to take action became unexpectedly immediate during a workshop Kerr was hosting at Wayne State University. Kerr had offered to show participants tree of heaven growing near the edge of campus. As she was showing a family how to identify the invasive tree, another participant disappeared behind a group of trees.
"She popped out and said, 'There are spotted lanternfly all over the trees!'" Kerr says. "She was 100% correct."
The group got to see the insects firsthand and installed a lampshade trap on one of the trees. Wayne State students plan to return later in the fall to check the trap for egg masses and began discussing ways to involve other students in monitoring and potentially removing tree of heaven from campus.
"The enthusiasm from the Wayne State students and faculty was really exciting," Kerr says. “I hope that this might lead to some collaboration between MSU and Wayne State.”
That momentum isn't limited to a single workshop.
Grosse Pointe Park resident Kelly Konieczki had already been watching for spotted lanternfly when she spotted the invasive insect and reported it to state officials. She later attended a lampshade trap workshop led by McCullough, Harrison and Kerr, where she saw firsthand how the traps could be used without harming other insects or animals.
"I also really valued the opportunity to connect with experts, as well as other community members," Konieczki says.
Now, Konieczki is taking what she learned back into the community, helping lead spotted lanternfly and lampshade trap workshops alongside Kerr.
"I want to empower others to make a difference and help them understand that science is for everyone," Konieczki says. "Any time I can connect with people in person and offer hands-on experiences, my hope is that it will leave them inspired to get involved."
Preparing Michigan gardeners and growers
The work also extends beyond communities where spotted lanternfly has already been confirmed. For MSU Extension, preparing for an invasive pest also means reaching the people most likely to encounter it, sometimes before it ever reaches their community.
"Gardeners, flower enthusiasts and small-scale growers are some of Michigan's best early detectors for invasive species because they spend a great deal of time closely observing plants, landscapes and seasonal changes," MSU Extension floriculture educator Caitlin Splawski says.
In February 2026, Splawski presented "Managing Dahlia Pests and Michigan Invasive Species Update" during a Michigan Dahlia Society meeting. The program reached 18 participants from at least nine Michigan counties, including home gardeners and commercial cut-flower growers. Along with common dahlia pests and integrated pest management practices, Splawski covered emerging invasive species, including spotted lanternfly.
Among participants who completed an evaluation survey, 92% reported increased knowledge of pest management, 75% planned to improve their pest management practices and 67% planned to share what they learned with others.
Splawski said that understanding spotted lanternfly, including where it may appear, its life cycle and how to report it, gives gardeners and growers another way to contribute to tracking the pest as it spreads.
"These audiences can play an important role in helping researchers and regulatory agencies track the pest's spread and respond appropriately," Splawski says. "Even in areas where spotted lanternfly has already been detected, continued reporting helps us better understand where populations are established and how they are moving across the landscape.”
Preparing Michigan vineyards
Grapes are among the crops most vulnerable to spotted lanternfly.
Heavy populations can weaken grapevines, affect fruit quality and reduce future yields. Experiences in Pennsylvania have also shown how quickly managing spotted lanternfly can become another significant demand on a vineyard owner’s time and resources.
Michigan has more than 13,000 acres of vineyards, and the state's grape and wine industry has an economic impact of $9 billion, making the arrival and spread of spotted lanternfly more than an insect issue. It could become an economic problem.
Michigan, however, has time to prepare.
MSU Extension berry crops entomologist Rufus Isaacs and other fruit specialists and Extension educators have been working to help growers recognize spotted lanternfly, monitor vineyards and surrounding areas and understand what its arrival could mean for Michigan farms.
“The recent detection of spotted lanternfly in southwest Michigan is a new region of the state and in a county with many grape growers,” Isaacs says. “Thankfully, these spotted lanternflies were found in a park and not on a crop, but growers should continue to monitor for this invasive pest on tree of heaven and their grapevines as they go about their fall activities.”
Isaacs also advises growers to report any spotted lanternfly detections through DNR's Eyes in the Field or to their local MSU Extension office.
The goal is to catch new movement of this pest early so growers can respond to protect their crops.
Working together to slow the spread
Spotted lanternfly is continuing to spread in Michigan. Where it appears next may be difficult to predict, but finding it doesn't depend on researchers or regulatory agencies alone.
Michiganders can help by watching for spotted lanternfly adults and egg masses, reporting sightings to Eyes in the Field, checking vehicles and outdoor items before moving them from infested areas and learning to recognize tree of heaven, an invasive plant and preferred host of spotted lanternfly.
Spotted lanternfly changes appearance throughout the year, from tiny black-and-white nymphs to larger nymphs with red, black and white markings and eventually becoming grayish-brown adults with spotted wings. By fall, attention also turns toward egg masses, which can resemble gray or mudlike smears and may be easy to overlook.
"As the adults feed on a wide range of plants this fall, they'll leave the next generation of spotted lanternfly to overwinter as egg masses on tree trunks and other surfaces," Splawski says. "These can be scraped off, soaked in soapy water or otherwise disposed of to prevent them from hatching next season."
Reports from residents can make a difference. In 2025, a report submitted through Eyes in the Field led to the confirmation of a new spotted lanternfly population in Jackson County. That year, MDARD received almost 700 spotted lanternfly reports from the public.
MSU researchers and Extension educators continue to work with state and federal regulatory personnel on spotted lanternfly detection and management while putting research and practical tools into the hands of residents and growers.
What happens next can start almost anywhere — a homeowner finding an egg mass, a gardener recognizing an unfamiliar insect, a vineyard worker spotting something unusual while checking vines or a workshop participant taking what they learned back to their community.
Konieczki knows firsthand the importance of reporting what you find, having photographed and reported spotted lanternfly in her own yard.
"It's one of the most important things we can do to help track the spread of invasive species and inform conservation practices," Konieczki says. "Talk to your neighbors and share what you learn!"
Learn more and take action
Visit the MSU Extension Spotted Lanternfly website for the latest Michigan information, upcoming programs and workshops, identification and reporting guidance and resources for residents and growers.
Additional MSU Extension resources include:
- Spotted Lanternfly – A Guide for Homeowners and Residents in Michigan
- A Tale of Two Invaders: Tree of Heaven and Spotted Lanternfly
- Lampshade Traps for Spotted Lanternfly
- Spotted Lanternfly Biology
- Spotted lanternfly: New pest alert for Michigan tree fruit growers
This work is supported by the Crop Protection and Pest Management Program (grant no 2024-70006-43569) from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
