DON'T SPREAD IT
CHECK BEFOREYOU GO
You might be the way spotted lanternfly reaches a new state. Run this checklist before you travel.
Spotted lanternfly reached Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and North Carolina via human transport — cargo, nursery stock, and vehicles. If you live in an infested state, this is how you can accidentally create a new infestation.
Before You Leave
Pre-Travel Vehicle Checklist
Before leaving an infested area, inspect each of these on your vehicle. Takes about two minutes. Could prevent a new infestation hundreds of miles away.
Under Wheel Wells and Bumpers
- ✓SLF egg masses attach to any hard surface, including vehicle undercarriages
- ✓Check with a flashlight — look for gray-brown smears approximately 1" × 0.5"
- ✓Particularly common in parking lots near infested trees
- ✓If found: scrape into a bag with alcohol, dispose before moving the vehicle
Trunk / Truck Bed / Cargo Area
- ✓Any items transported from infested areas (camping gear, outdoor furniture, lumber) may carry egg masses
- ✓Check all items before loading — especially items stored outside
- ✓Inspect packing materials from companies in infested states
Trailers, Boats, and RVs
- ✓Highly vulnerable — large surfaces with many sheltered spots
- ✓Check the hitch area, the frame, under awnings, and inside cabinets
- ✓Boats transported from infested lake areas should be checked on hull and trailer
Firewood — NEVER TRANSPORT
The firewood rule: "BURN IT WHERE YOU BUY IT." Never move firewood more than 50 miles.
- —SLF egg masses hide in bark crevices and are nearly invisible to the naked eye
- —Never move firewood more than 50 miles — this is a general invasive species rule
- —If you must move firewood: heat-treat at 160°F for 75+ minutes (per USDA guidance)
- —Buy firewood at your destination, not your origin
Nursery Plants and Outdoor Pots
- ✓Soil and root balls from nursery plants can carry SLF egg masses
- ✓Check the pot rim, the plant base, and any wooden stakes
- ✓Be especially careful when moving plants purchased in infested states
Camping Equipment
- ✓Tent stakes, tarps, sleeping pad straps, camp chairs — all are SLF hiding spots
- ✓Shake out gear and inspect before packing
- ✓Especially important if you camped near wooded areas in PA, NJ, NY, VA, or MD
Know the Law
State-Crossing Rules
Many states have quarantine regulations regarding spotted lanternfly. Here is what you need to know.
Commercial Quarantine Orders
PA, NJ, VA, MD, NY, and most other confirmed-infestation states have or have had active quarantine orders. Moving "regulated articles" (nursery stock, outdoor household articles, logs, wood products) across state lines commercially requires permits and compliance documentation. Individual travelers are generally not subject to commercial quarantine permit requirements.
Spreading SLF May Be Illegal
Under some state laws, knowingly transporting SLF or regulated articles from infested areas without compliance can carry fines. More importantly — spreading a federally recognized invasive pest is genuinely harmful. The legal risk is secondary to the ecological one.
Agricultural Inspection Stations
Always declare plants and firewood at state agricultural inspection stations when present. These stations exist at state borders specifically to intercept invasive species in transit. Cooperating takes 30 seconds and matters.
Cardinal Rule
The Firewood Rule
BUY IT WHERE
YOU BURN IT
Why This Rule Exists
What to Do Instead
- 1Buy firewood near your campsite or destination — most KOA campgrounds and state parks sell local firewood
- 2If you brought firewood from home: use it fully at your destination (do not bring unused wood home)
- 3If you have leftover firewood at your destination: treat it as an SLF risk and dispose of it properly there — do not load it back in the car
Second-Highest Risk
Purchasing and Moving Plants
Nursery plants are the second-highest SLF transport risk after vehicles.
For Homeowners
- ✓Buy plants locally when possible — supports local nurseries too
- ✓Inspect any plants for egg masses before planting, especially on the container rim and any stakes
- ✓If you receive plants shipped from an infested state, inspect carefully before placing outdoors
For Businesses
- →Commercial movement of regulated articles requires compliance with state quarantine orders
- →Consult with your state agriculture agency if you operate in an infested state and ship plants
- →Permits for commercial shipments may be required — check USDA APHIS for your state
Take Action Now
Found an Egg Mass on Your Vehicle?
Do not drive off. You still have time to stop it. Follow these steps exactly.
- 1
Don't panic — you haven't spread it yet if it's still on your vehicle.
- 2
Scrape it off with a credit card or any rigid card.
- 3
Put the mass in a sealed bag with isopropyl alcohol.
- 4
Dispose in a sealed trash bag — don't leave it at a rest stop.
- 5
Report your location (where you traveled FROM) to the sighting map — it helps researchers track hitchhiking events.
Report it →
Need to identify what you found? See the egg mass identification guide →
Before Camping Season
Spread the Word
Heading out for camping, a road trip, or a long drive? Send your travel companions this link.
“If you’re traveling from an infested state, check your vehicle for spotted lanternfly egg masses first. It takes 2 minutes. Here’s the checklist: lanternflywatch.com/guides/dont-spread-it #StopTheSpread #SquishSquad”Tweet this →
Print the egg mass identification flyer — it works as a quick reference card for what to look for on vehicles and gear.
Print the egg mass flyer →Weekly fight briefing
Stop the Spread.
Travel season updates, egg mass scraping windows, and state quarantine news — delivered weekly.