How bad were spotted lanternflies in Ohio this year? Here’s the season’s overview

• Spotted lanternfly populations have spread farther and appeared in greater numbers across Ohio this season.
• Public involvement, such as scraping egg masses, has played a significant role in managing the infestation.
• Experts warn that the infestation is expected to worsen in Ohio before it improves.

Frostbite was the bitter end for many spotted lanternflies this month as cold weather finally settled into Ohio. But even as the adults die off, the impact of the invasive insects was hard to miss this season. And experts say the worst may still be ahead.

From growing quarantine zones to thick clusters on trees in metro parks, Ohio has been besieged by the spotted lanternfly season since the insect arrived in 2020.

Official end-of-year counts are not yet available, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

In Franklin County, the Agriculture Department’s Ohio Plant Pest Reporter had 1,449 reports of lanternflies in 2024 and 2,102 this year. Statewide that number decreased from 16,449 reports last year to 14,690 in 2025.

Those reports aren’t confirmed, though, and state experts say lanternflies have spread farther, appeared in greater numbers and drawn an unprecedented level of public attention.

Here’s a look at what Ohio saw in 2025 and what to expect next year.

The infestation grows

Dan Kenny, plant health division chief for the state Agriculture Department, said there was “for sure an uptick” in lanternfly proliferation across the state this year.

Kenny said the insects’ most visible stage is in August, when adults cluster on trees, buildings and outdoor structures. But the infestation begins far earlier — nymphs emerge in May in stages that resemble ticks or beetles, making them easy to overlook.

Since the state’s first detection in 2020, lanternflies have become fully established in eastern Ohio and the continue spreading west. Kenny said they are already a nuisance for many homeowners there.

Ohio State University Extension invasive-species educator Amy Stone confirmed the statewide trend.

“Populations have spread to more areas, and in specific areas populations have risen. The general public is noticing more in their backyard or in places they frequent,” Stone said.

Stone noted heavy activity this year in parts of downtown Toledo.

“This is more of a public-facing pest,” she said. “They can show up in stadiums, high-rise apartments — anywhere.”

On the local level, metro parks like Scioto Audubon Metro Park, which recently held a lanternfly smash, said they’ve noticed more sap left from the insects on more of their trees.

What kind of damage did lanternflies cause this season?

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has said repeated lanternfly feeding can stress trees and make them more vulnerable to disease. Park rangers in Columbus reported an increase this year in honeydew — sticky secretion lanternflies produce while feeding — and sooty mold, which grows on honeydew-covered surfaces.

Kenny said the state has not documented major crop losses in Ohio so far.

“We haven’t seen crop damage per se anywhere,” Kenny said. “But I’m sure they have the ability to damage crops. Growers have been worried about this for a while — especially grape growers and other specialty crop growers.”

Stone said the broader agricultural picture is still concerning.

For beekeepers, she said, honeydew can contaminate hives.

“Lanternflies are prolific honeydew producers,” Stone said. “Bees take that honeydew back to the hive, which changes the color and taste.”

Stone also stressed the impact on vineyards and maple producers — two industries closely monitoring lanternfly spread.

Could public response stop the invasion?

Kenny and Stone said public buy-in has been key to fighting the insect’s proliferation in Ohio.

“This one’s off the charts in terms of getting help from the public,” Kenny said.

Egg-mass scraping efforts, often coordinated by OSU Extension and local parks, are especially effective. Stone said destroying a single egg mass typically kills 30 to 50 nymphs.

Stone said a statewide “Big Scrape” effort is underway now to destroy egg masses and log progress.

Both experts said removing tree-of-heaven — the lanternfly’s preferred host plant — is one of the best long-term tactics for reducing populations.

How gardeners can try to prevent another spotted lanternfly takeover next year

“If folks aren’t familiar with what a tree of heaven is, it is an invasive plant,” Kenny said. “Look out for ways to control that tree to help suppress lanternfly growth.”

What to expect moving into winter

Both experts emphasized that Ohio is still early in its infestation timeline.

“It’s going to get worse before it gets better,” Stone said. That’s what happened in Pennsylvania.

“It was just last year or the year before when they saw a natural decline and they had nearly a decade of heavy infestation before that.”

Egg masses survive the winter, meaning 2026 populations will depend on:

• How many eggs were laid this fall
• How many were scraped or destroyed
• Winter temperatures
• How much the infestation spreads into new counties

The state Agriculture Department expects the insects to continue expanding next year but says increased awareness and public reporting create meaningful pressure on the population.

“For the public, it’s important for them to know it’s probably going to be a nuisance factor,” Stone said. “But we all must help improve the agricultural arena.”

Trending reporter Amani Bayo can be reached at abayo@dispatch.com.