FREE MATERIALS
Printable field guides, partner resources, and ready-to-share messages. Everything you need to alert your neighborhood and help stop the spread.
Section 1
Quick Print: 1-Page Field Guide
Use your browser's print function (Ctrl+P / Cmd+P) to print this section as a single-page reference. Fold it, post it, or hand it to a neighbor.
Lanternfly Watch — Field Reference
Spotted Lanternfly
Season by Season Guide
Print Tip
Press Ctrl+P or Cmd+P
to print this page
How to Identify
Season by Season — What to Do
Black nymphs with white dots
Action: Step on them
Red nymphs with black & white pattern
Action: Contact spray or step on them
Adults with gray wings + red underwings
Action: Scrape, spray, or trap
Gray egg masses on flat surfaces
Action: Scrape into rubbing alcohol
Free to print and share — lanternflywatch.com/flyer
Report sightings: lanternflywatch.com/map
Section 2
Printable Alert Flyers
Choose a flyer style and print it directly. Dark version is high-visibility for bulletin boards; light version saves ink.
How to Print
- 1.Click the Print button below or press Ctrl+P (Cmd+P on Mac)
- 2.Choose Letter paper size, portrait orientation
- 3.For the dark flyer: enable “Print backgrounds” in print settings — or use the Light Flyer, which prints without this option
- 4.Set margins to 0.5 inch for best results
Or right-click → Save as PDF
⚠️ SPOTTED LANTERNFLY ALERT ⚠️
ACTIVE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
HOW TO IDENTIFY
- ●BLACK with white dots — early nymph (spring)
- ●RED with white dots — 4th-instar nymph (late summer)
- ●GRAY-TAN moth-like — adult (Aug–frost), red hindwings when flying
- ●Gray putty smear — EGG MASS (Oct–May), scrape & destroy
IF YOU SEE ONE:
- 1.STOMP IT — adults and nymphs, kill on sight
- 2.SCRAPE egg masses into a bag with hand sanitizer, seal & trash
- 3.REPORT it at lanternflywatch.com and to your state ag dept
ALSO WATCH FOR:
Tree of Heaven — a weedy tree with long compound leaves and a rancid peanut butter smell when crushed. SLF loves this tree. Remove it if you can.
lanternflywatch.com/map
Free reporting tool — no sign-up needed
QR coming soon — scan to report
Section 3
Downloadable Materials from Partners
These organizations publish free, professionally designed SLF materials. Visit their sites and search “Spotted Lanternfly” to find their latest downloads.
Penn State Extension
SLF Homeowner Factsheet
Identification, life cycle, and management options written for homeowners. Penn State Extension is one of the leading SLF research institutions in the country.
Visit their website and search “Spotted Lanternfly” to find downloadable materials.
USDA APHIS
Official SLF Identification Guide
The federal government's official guide for identifying spotted lanternfly at every life stage, including lookalikes and reporting requirements.
Visit their website and search “Spotted Lanternfly” to find downloadable materials.
Virginia Cooperative Extension
SLF Identification Card
A compact, field-ready ID reference developed by Eric Day's entomology team at Virginia Tech — ideal for printing and carrying.
Visit their website and search “Spotted Lanternfly” to find downloadable materials.
iNaturalist
SLF Observation Guide
Learn how to document and submit SLF sightings on iNaturalist, where your observations contribute directly to scientific tracking databases.
Visit their website and search “Spotted Lanternfly” to find downloadable materials.
Section 4
Social Sharing
Pre-written messages ready to go. One share reaches dozens of neighbors.
Share to X
Pre-written post
“Spotted lanternfly is spreading in my area. If you see one, step on it or report it at lanternflywatch.com — takes 60 seconds and actually helps. #SpottedLanternfly #StopTheSpread”
Nextdoor Template
Copy and paste
“Neighbors — spotted lanternfly (SLF) is active in our area. These invasive bugs spread fast and damage trees, crops, and gardens. If you see one: step on it, spray it with dish soap, or report it at lanternflywatch.com/map. Takes 60 seconds. Look for gray egg masses on flat surfaces (cars, rocks, furniture) from October through spring — scrape them into rubbing alcohol. More info and a free field guide: lanternflywatch.com/flyer”
Copy This Post
Facebook / community groups
“Heads up about spotted lanternfly in our area. These invasive insects are spreading fast and can seriously damage local trees and gardens. Here's what you can do: • Step on nymphs (small black bugs with white dots in spring, red in summer) • Spray adults with dish soap • Scrape gray egg masses into rubbing alcohol this fall/winter • Report sightings at lanternflywatch.com/map Free printable field guide and more info: lanternflywatch.com/flyer”
Section 5
How to Use These Materials
Printed flyers work best when placed where people are already looking. Here's where they land.
Post in community spaces
Library bulletin boards, community centers, garden stores, laundromats, and HOA notice boards.
Give to neighbors directly
When you see SLF in a neighbor's yard, hand them a printed copy of this guide.
Leave on cars in parking lots
During adult season (August–October) when SLF gather on vehicles, a flyer on a windshield gets read.
Bring to HOA meetings
Summer and fall HOA meetings are a perfect venue — bring printed copies for the whole room.
Share the link digitally
Email lanternflywatch.com/flyer to local Facebook groups, Nextdoor feeds, and neighborhood listservs.
Section 6
Email Your Neighbors
A complete, pre-written email ready to send. Click the button to open it in your email client — just add addresses and hit send.
Subject line
“Spotted lanternfly alert for our neighborhood”
Email body includes
Section 7
Get the Newsletter
Weekly SLF updates for your area — season alerts, action reminders, and the latest on the spread. Free, no spam.
Free to Print & Share
All materials on this page are freely shareable for non-commercial educational use. No permission needed — just spread the word, not the bug. Credit: lanternflywatch.com