The Pittsburgh Homeowner's Guide to Spotted Lanternflies (2026)

If you've been watching pretty red-winged bugs cover your patio deck by the hundreds this summer, congratulations — you've met the spotted lanternfly. Pittsburgh has been in the invasion zone since 2020, but 2024 and 2025 saw the highest populations on record across Allegheny County. Here's what you actually need to know.

How to identify them

Adults are about 1 inch long. Wings are gray with black spots, but when they fly you'll see flashes of bright red. Nymphs (early stages) are black with white spots, then turn red before adulthood. They cluster on tree trunks, deck posts, and any vertical surface.

What damage do they cause?

Spotted lanternflies don't sting or bite. They don't eat wood or fabric. Their damage is agricultural and cosmetic — they feed on tree sap (especially tree of heaven, maples, and grape vines) and excrete honeydew, which grows sooty black mold on decks, siding, and patio furniture. They're a nuisance more than a structural threat.

What actually works

• Remove tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) from your property — it's their host plant
• Scrape egg masses off tree bark and hard surfaces in fall/winter (they look like mud smears)
• Circle trap trees with sticky bands (leave openings for songbirds)
• Systemic insecticide injection into host trees (professional application)
• Barrier spray on decks, patios, and outbuildings during peak adult season (July–September)

What doesn't work (don't waste money)

Home remedies like vinegar, dish soap, or essential oils only kill lanternflies on contact and provide zero residual control. The bugs come right back. Ultrasonic devices, bug zappers, and citronella candles do nothing. Stomping them helps psychologically but not statistically.

When to call a pro

If you have significant tree of heaven on your property, an active infestation coating your deck, or a wine/grape operation, call us. Our lanternfly barrier program runs July through September and uses systemic treatments on host trees plus perimeter sprays. Call 484-764-3392 for a free property assessment.