Invasive Spotted Lanternflies Thrive in US Urban Areas

Scientists uncover how the insects adapted to urban environments in their native China, allowing them to rapidly spread across the Northeast US.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Spotted lanternflies, an invasive species from Asia, have been rapidly spreading across the Northeastern United States since their arrival around 2014. Researchers have now found that the insects were able to adapt to urban environments in their native Shanghai, China, which has allowed them to thrive in similar urban settings in the US Northeast. The lanternflies' genetic adaptations to heat, pollution, and pesticides have enabled their exponential growth and spread, despite a low genetic diversity from a single introduction to the US.

Why it matters

The rapid spread of spotted lanternflies poses a threat to trees, orchards, and vineyards across the Northeast, as the insects feed on sap and excrete a sugary substance that can suffocate plants. Their ability to adapt to urban environments has made them difficult to control, and researchers say invasive management efforts in cities may be necessary to curb their further expansion.

The details

Genomic analyses show the spotted lanternflies likely adapted to thrive in urban Shanghai, China, developing genetic adaptations to handle heat, pollution, and pesticides. This 'urban priming' then allowed them to successfully invade and spread across the Northeastern US after arriving in a shipment of stone from South Korea around 2014. The insects have been spotted as far north as Boston and Providence, and researchers expect them to continue moving west toward Chicago, as the females can lay large clutches of eggs that can survive harsh winters.

  • The spotted lanternflies likely arrived in the US around 2014.
  • The insects have been spotted as far north as Boston, Mass., and Providence, R.I.

The players

Kristen Winchell

An associate professor of biology at New York University who co-authored a paper on the spotted lanternflies' adaptations.

Fallon Meng

A doctoral candidate at NYU's Department of Biology who spoke about the insects' arrival in the US.

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What they’re saying

“They were adapting to thrive in urban environments in the native range, and that primed them then to be successful in whatever the next urban environment they landed in.”

— Kristen Winchell, Associate Professor of Biology (ABC News)

“The loss of genetic diversity in this population, which should theoretically constrain any sort of adaptation or variation in traits in the invasive environment, should possibly limit their spread.”

— Kristen Winchell, Associate Professor of Biology (ABC News)

What’s next

Researchers expect the spotted lanternflies to continue spreading west toward Chicago as they have proven adept at hitching rides on trains, ferries, and even human backpacks.

The takeaway

The spotted lanternfly's ability to adapt to urban environments in its native China has enabled it to rapidly spread across the Northeastern US, posing a threat to local ecosystems and agriculture. Curbing the insect's further expansion will likely require targeted invasive management efforts in cities across the region.