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Spotted lanternfly season is back. Here’s how to help get rid of them in Delaware

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Spotted lanternfly season is back. Here’s how to help get rid of them in Delaware


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As summer reaches an official end, invasive pest problems are still raging on around the Delaware area, specifically the spotted lanternfly.

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Here’s what to know about spotted lanternflies in Delaware, and how to manage and report them.

What is the Spotted lanternfly?

Spotted lanternflies are no stranger to the Delaware area. Native to Asian countries like China, Vietnam and India, the invasive pests were first discovered in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 2014.

Spotted lanternfly nymphs are usually between one-eighth inch and one-half inch in size with white-spotted black bodies that change to red as they age. Adults are around 1 inch in length and feed on both woody and non-woody plants, including trees and a variety of plant species.

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Even though their lifespan is roughly only one year, these pests reproduce quickly and in high quantities. According to PestWorld, the spotted lanternfly tends to lay its eggs on flat surfaces, and can typically lay an average of 30 to 50 eggs at a time. One pregnant female spotted lanternfly can lay upward of 200 eggs before the peak season ends.

Egg masses of spotted lanternflies are trickier to spot, but may be more crucial to destroy. They usually take on a light tan shade that can easily blend in with tree bark or smudges of dirt that can range up to around 1-2 inches wide.

While they pose no threat to humans directly, they put many major agricultural products and other plants in danger. A host of spotted lanternflies has the ability to deplete entire crops or trees of their resources and leave residue that prevents the crops like apples, cherries, grapes, peaches and trees like walnut, pine, oak and willows from growing back.

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The Delaware Department of Agriculture has called the spotted lanternfly “detrimental to Delaware’s agricultural industries, the environment and residential areas.”

The tree of heaven

The tree of heaven, a deceptively named invasive plant commonly found on the U.S. East Coast, seems to be the habitat of choice for spotted lanternflies. Experts advise that removing these types of trees is the best bet of eliminating local lanternfly populations at their source.

The first step in removing this species is making sure it is correctly identified because they can be easily confused for native trees like sumac or black walnuts.

Trees of heaven typically grow in clusters and have extremely high tolerance to poor soil quality. According to the Delaware Department of Agriculture, this tree is often found in industrial parks, along highways and railways and in unmanaged areas or vacant lots. They have a gray bark with vertical lines and leaflets that grow long, green and white flowers in the spring.

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Eliminating the female trees, which can be identified with its winged seedpods, will eliminate them as a potential food source for spotted lanternflies. However, a method that experts recommend is planting a male tree of heaven that does not have seeds as a “trap tree.” If these trap trees are treated with insecticide, they can lure and kill spotted lanternfly populations that try and inhabit them.

Another tree threat: Box tree moth, lethal to boxwoods, found in one county in Delaware, USDA confirms

Removal of trees of heaven can be a heavy burden, since their roots have been reported to grow over 25 feet underground and rapidly repopulate even if the parent tree is killed. To ensure a tree is killed, consult an arborist for best practices, which may involve treating the tree with herbicide.

Getting rid of spotted lanternflies

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Delaware’s Department of Agriculture has placed the entire state on a quarantine for the invasive species since July 2022. The department urges residents to kill lanternflies immediately and report it so that the state’s pest control specialists can track its spread.

Although lanternflies are winged, they can only fly short distances and primarily jump or walk, which make them pretty easy targets to squish on your next walk.

According to the Department of Agriculture, the late summer months are the best time to systemically apply insecticide to reduce the lanternfly populations before egg masses are laid. Look for pesticides or insecticides that are specifically meant for plant-hoppers or leaf-hoppers.

If encountering an egg mass, the best method of removing it is scraping the mass off of the surface and properly destroying them. The Delaware Farm Bureau recommends scraping the egg masses into a bag of rubbing alcohol and disposing of them to prevent them from hatching in the future.

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If an infestation is found on a tree, experts also recommend banding that tree to prevent disease from spreading. This can be done by wrapping a material like plastic, duct tape, butcher paper or other insulation around the trunk of the tree.

Consulting a pest specialist who has expertise in spotted lanternfly treatment is another way to ensure the infestation does not spread around your area. The Delaware Department of Agriculture keeps an online catalog of licensed ornamental and turf pesticide companies in different areas to peruse through.

Kiss of death?: Kissing bugs aren’t about summer lovin’. Their bite could be lethal

The department is also requesting that residents submit spotted lanternfly reports, especially around the Dover Air Force Base and around Sussex County, to help experts determine how these insects move. These reports can be submitted online, emailed to HitchHikerBug@delaware.gov or posted to social media with the hashtag #HitchHikerBug. Be sure to include your location, basic contact information and a photo.

Molly McVety covers community and environmental issues around Delaware. Contact her at mmcvety@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @mollymcvety

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When will Delaware warm up? After snow, ice Tuesday, temps will rise

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When will Delaware warm up? After snow, ice Tuesday, temps will rise


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Meteorological winter has ended and we’ve entered spring.

However, there’s still a last winter blast hitting Delaware early this week before a spring warm up hits at the end of the week.

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Here’s a look at the Delaware forecast.

Will Delaware see more snow?

After a brisk Monday, March 2 with sunny skies and highs only reaching 35 degrees, there’s a chance of snow after 1 a.m. Tuesday, March 3 with freezing rain after 4 a.m. in New Castle County. Snow and freezing rain are expected before noon Tuesday, March 3. The county may receive less than a half inch of accumulation.

In Kent County and Sussex County, there’s a chance of snow and freezing rain after 1 a.m. Tuesday, March 3.

When will it warm up in Delaware?

It will start feeling like spring as warmer air moves into the First State on Tuesday evening, March 3, but wet weather is coming as well.

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Rain is predicted from Tuesday, March 3 through Friday, March 5, but spring-like temperatures will make it bearable. In New Castle County temperatures will range from the mid-50s on Wednesday, March 3 to the 60s on Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5. Kent County should see temperatures in the 60s and Sussex County will see 70s during the mid- to later part of the week

What’s the weekend forecast?

Remember when you were daydreaming about warm weather during the polar vortex or blizzard? Well, it is coming next weekend.

The forecast is calling for sunny to partly sunny skies throughout Delaware on Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8. Highs will reach the upper 60s in the north to the low 70s in the south.

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Law enforcement increases security across Delaware Valley after U.S. strikes on Iran

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Law enforcement increases security across Delaware Valley after U.S. strikes on Iran


PHILADELPHIA – Law enforcement agencies across the Delaware Valley are boosting security at religious and cultural sites following U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, even as officials say there is no credible threat to the area.

The Department of Homeland Security also issued an alert after Operation Epic Fury, warning agencies to remain vigilant for suspicious activity despite assessing that a large-scale attack on U.S. soil is unlikely.

Hours after the strikes, protesters gathered in cities nationwide. In Phoenixville, dozens rallied Saturday afternoon, calling the military action “senseless.”

“Stop the war. People are suffering in this country with food prices, rent, healthcare, money for the people’s needs here,” said Curry Malott, a West Chester University associate professor of educational foundations and policy studies.

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President Donald Trump has said the joint operation would eliminate Iran’s nuclear and military programs and change the regime. Some demonstrators criticized the president’s decision.

“Trump has broken his campaign promises with no new wars, and here he is going into another,” said Kyle Horstmann of Phoenixville.

Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick said in a statement that Iran poses a grave threat, adding, “Iran and its proxies are responsible for countless deaths of Americans and our partners. That record is long, deliberate, and undeniable-and it cannot be ignored.” He adds sustained military engagement should be done with consent of Congress.

Democratic leaders, including Senator Andy Kim, argued the president failed to seek congressional approval for the strikes.

“I have zero confidence in this president who has so flagrantly violated our constitution,” Kim said. He called for Congress to immediately reconvene to vote on a war powers resolution.

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“I hope there can be unanimity that when it comes to strikes of this magnitude, when American service members lives are at risk, what greater responsibility do we have in Congress than to look out for our service members and the national security of our country?” he said.

The Homeland Security alert also warned of potential low-level cyberattacks targeting U.S. networks, adding another layer of concern for authorities monitoring threats at home.

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Delaware County looks to boost maternal services in face of need

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Delaware County looks to boost maternal services in face of need


As the Delaware County Health Department recognized success over a year period, county officials also voiced work needed to be done particularly in light of infant and maternal outcomes.

“Unfortunately, in Delaware County, we do still have some issues with maternal and child health,” county Executive Director Barbara O’Malley said. “Between 2019 and 2023, 1.3% of our births were classified as ‘very low birthweight.’

Delaware County Executive Director Barbara O’Malley. (COURTESY OF DELAWARE COUNTY)

“That’s actually higher than our neighboring suburban counties, which are all under 1%,” she explained. “And Philadelphia is at 1.6. So, we know we have work to do and that’s what our health department is here to do.”

O’Malley added that 15.6% of Delaware County residents received inadequate prenatal care, which is determined by when someone begins their prenatal care.

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In addition, County Deputy Health Director Stephanie Reese said the disparity among communities of color has grown.

“While Pennsylvania’s Black and white infant mortality gap has narrowed in recent years, Delaware County’s gap has widened. Black infant mortality in Delco increased from 2.9 to 3.9 times that of whites,” she said.

That’s a factor driven by low birthweights linked to premature birth and preventable social and environmental factors.

Stephanie Reese, deputy director of the Delaware County Health Department, left, with former Crozer nurse Peggy Malone at one of the health department's fairs. (KATHLEEN E. CAREY - DAILY TIMES)
Stephanie Reese, deputy director of the Delaware County Health Department, left, with former Crozer nurse Peggy Malone at one of the health department’s fairs. (KATHLEEN E. CAREY – DAILY TIMES)

Last week, Delaware County Council approved to advertise a request for proposals for an awareness and education campaign for the county health department’s Centralized Intake System and the Delco Doula Collaborative. This is funded through a U.S. Department of Labor grant.

This action will allow the DelcoDoula.org to go live once completed. This site for the Delco Doula Collaborative is a web-based registry of perinatal doulas offering doula information and matching services in Delaware County.

“We have so many resources available to people but they may just not be aware of how much we can do for people that are around maternal and child health issues,” O’Malley said.

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She said the intake system would be a single point of entry for maternal and child health resources, including eligibility-based matching.

“Once we maybe learn about you, we can give you customized services and resources that you would qualify for,” O’Malley added.

The executive director explained why it’s critical to focus on these outcomes.

“We do know that maternal and child health is very important for so many reasons,” O’Malley said. “A healthy infant, a healthy pregnancy obviously gives people a healthy life, a great start in life, has better health outcomes, educational outcomes and better outcomes for the families.”

Doula programs can help, she explained.

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“Research shows that doula programs such as the one that is supported by grant funding through the health department (and) through The Foundation for Delaware County … that there are lower rates of pre-term births, lower rates of low birthweight, lower rates of Caesarian section and higher rates of breastfeeding,” O’Malley said.

One way to support this is through increased awareness of these programs and initiatives, something O’Malley said is hoped to improve birth outcomes and advance health equity in Delaware County.

While the awareness campaign is coming, many of these programs already exist.

One of the Delaware County Health Department programs is an annual bookbag distribution in August. (KATHLEEN E. CAREY - DAILY TIMES)
One of the Delaware County Health Department programs is an annual bookbag distribution in August. (KATHLEEN E. CAREY – DAILY TIMES)

“People can avail themselves of them right away,” O’Malley said, directing the community to the health department website.

There, moms and moms-to-be can get support through virtual pre- and postnatal partum doula groups, where moms can learn how to care for their baby, free supplies including diapers and baby essentials, immunizations for infants as well as mental health support for new moms.

“It is critical that we get our Delaware County infants and youth off to the right start and taking care of their moms and families is the way to do it and we do have a lot of resources and we want to make sure that people take advantage of them,” O’Malley said.

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Other health programs

Among some of the efforts the Delaware County Health Department have done include meeting with residents during February to offer free blood pressure screenings across the county, including Yeadon, Lansdowne, Chester and Springfield.

Through its Delco Revive! program, it also continues to offer free CPR classes with another one being held at the Yeadon Wellness Center at 125 S. Chester Road from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 26.

“According to the American Heart Association, about 70% of cardiac arrests that happen outside the hospital occur in homes,” county Council Chair Richard Womack said. “Please take the opportunity to learn how to save a life by participating in one of these classes.”

The health department also released its 2025 Annual Report that focused on strengthening public health infrastructure, expanding equitable access to services, and deepening community partnerships across the county.

Some of the accomplishments included expanded doula services, maternal wellness programming, and youth health initiatives to support healthy families and improve early-life outcomes; comprehensive Back-to-School events and community-based education efforts, including the Lead Free in 1-2-3 campaign connecting residents to screenings, supplies and preventive services.

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Over the last year, the department has also offered continued implementation of Delco Revive! by increasing community training, lifesaving supply distribution, and overdose response capacity while also strengthening data-driven monitoring and outbreak response to guide prevention strategies and protect residents from communicable diseases; and also expanded the public health kiosks.

The department is also responsible for conducting inspections, investigations and regulatory enforcement to safeguard food safety, monitor environmental hazards, respond to complaints, and prevent vector-borne disease.

The annual report stated that 83% of the department’s $11.4 million budget came from federal and state funding and that the remainder for that time period was funded through American Rescue Plan Act revenues.

“As we reflect on 2025, this report represents the dedication of our staff and partners who work every day to protect and promote the health of Delaware County residents,” county Health Director Lora Siegmann Werner said. “We remain committed to building a resilient, equitable public health system for the future.”

The full Delaware County Health Department annual report can be viewed at https://delcopa.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/DCHD-2025-Annual-Report-Revised.pdf.

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