If you’ve noticed small black insects with white spots crawling on your shrubs, rose canes, or grape vines this June, you’re not imagining things — and you’re not alone. Spotted lanternfly nymphs are now active across Massachusetts, including in Hingham, Cohasset, Duxbury, and communities throughout the South Shore. This month, before the familiar red-winged adult form appears, the juvenile stage takes center stage — and knowing what you’re looking at can make a real difference for your landscape.

At Land Design Associates, we’ve been monitoring spotted lanternfly activity closely as the pest continues to spread through the region. This guide will help you identify what you’re seeing, understand which plants are most vulnerable, and know when it’s time to call a professional.

What Is the Spotted Lanternfly — and Why Does It Matter on the South Shore?

The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive planthopper originally from Asia. First detected in Pennsylvania in 2014, it has spread aggressively across the Northeast and is now established in multiple Massachusetts communities. Its populations on the South Shore — in towns including Hingham, Cohasset, and Duxbury — have been growing, and 2025 is shaping up to be a significant season.

What makes this pest particularly concerning for homeowners and property managers is its wide host range. Spotted lanternflies feed on the sap of dozens of plant species, weakening trees, shrubs, and garden plants. Heavy infestations produce large amounts of sticky honeydew that coats leaves and surfaces, promoting a black sooty mold that can affect both plant health and the visual appeal of your outdoor spaces.

What Spotted Lanternfly Nymphs Look Like in June

The spotted lanternfly goes through four nymphal stages — called instars — before reaching adulthood. The adult form, with its distinctive red hind wings, is what most people recognize. But in June, what you’re most likely to encounter are the earlier nymphal stages, and they look very different.

1st through 3rd instar nymphs (active now, through early July) are tiny — as small as ⅛ inch — and appear black with white spots. They have no wings, and their small size means they can be easy to overlook. They often travel in clusters, which can make them more noticeable when populations are high.

4th instar nymphs (active July through late August) develop red patches over the black-and-white pattern and grow to about ½ inch. Though larger and more colorful, they still lack developed wings.

Because early-stage nymphs can resemble other common Massachusetts insects, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources offers a look-alikes identification sheet — worth bookmarking if you’re doing your own monitoring.

How Nymphs Behave Differently from Adults — And Why That Matters for Your Property

Understanding how nymphs move through a landscape is key to managing them effectively. Unlike adults, which tend to pick “favorite” trees and return to them season after season, nymphs are highly mobile. They may spend just a day or two on one plant before moving on, often traveling in groups across multiple plantings.

Nymphs also have a preference for tender new growth — the fresh tips of branches and the soft growth of perennials. On trees, this often means they congregate high in the canopy, making monitoring and treatment from the ground more difficult.

On South Shore properties — where estates, traditional New England gardens, and newer landscape installations often sit close together — this mobility means a population on one property can quickly spread to neighboring plantings. Early monitoring matters.

The good news: nymphs are generally considered less damaging than adults. A population of nymphs feeding in one location causes less harm than an equivalent population of adults. But heavy infestations can still cause dieback on perennials and annuals and weaken individual branches on trees and shrubs.

Plants Most Vulnerable on Hingham, Cohasset & Duxbury Properties

If you have any of the following plants in your landscape, they deserve extra attention this summer:

• Cultivated and wild grape — among the most preferred hosts
• Cultivated rose and multiflora rose — extremely common across South Shore residential gardens
• Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) — often found along roadsides and property edges; a primary adult host
• Black walnut and butternut — significant landscape trees that should be monitored closely
• Perennials and annuals — garden beds can sustain feeding damage and honeydew deposits, affecting both plant health and aesthetics

Properties near Cohasset Harbor, along the Duxbury coast, and in the established neighborhoods of Hingham often feature mature plantings and ornamental gardens that provide ideal habitat for spotted lanternfly populations. If your property includes any of these host plants, now is the time to begin monitoring.

Should You Treat? Four Questions Every South Shore Homeowner Should Ask

Before reaching for any insecticide — or calling a pest control company — it’s worth working through these questions. At Land Design Associates, we help clients think through this process carefully, because not every sighting requires immediate intervention.

1. Have spotted lanternflies actually been confirmed on your property? It sounds basic, but misidentification is common. If you’re not certain what you’re seeing, photograph it and compare it to reference images from UMass Extension or the MA DAR look-alikes sheet. No confirmed sighting means no treatment is needed — continue monitoring through the season.
2. How significant is the population? A few nymphs on a rose bush is different from dense clusters on multiple trees with visible honeydew dripping onto walkways or patios. Look for old egg masses on hard surfaces, clusters of nymphs, and evidence of feeding (wilted new growth, sticky residue, sooty mold). Were adults present on your property last summer? That raises the likelihood of a significant population this year.
3. Are there particularly vulnerable or high-value plants? A mature grape arbor, a prized specimen tree, or a garden in a prominent location all warrant more proactive management than a hedgerow of rugosa roses at the back of the property. Properties near working vineyards should be especially vigilant.
4. Can the plants be treated safely? This is where professional guidance matters most. Plants in bloom should never be treated with insecticides — the risk to pollinators is too high. The treatment method matters too: contact insecticides work well for nymphs because the population may only be on a given plant briefly. Systemic insecticides, which are absorbed by the plant, are better suited for adult management on favorite host trees. Both approaches require careful timing, correct product selection, and adherence to label instructions.

What Land Design Associates Can Do for Your South Shore Property

Managing spotted lanternfly effectively is part of a broader commitment to landscape health — and it’s something we take seriously at Land Design Associates. Our team serves homeowners across Hingham, Cohasset, Duxbury, and the wider South Shore, and we’re familiar with the specific plant palettes, site conditions, and landscape styles that characterize properties in each of these communities.

Our approach to spotted lanternfly and other invasive pests starts with monitoring. We help clients understand what they’re seeing, assess population levels, and make informed decisions about treatment timing and methods. When treatment is appropriate, we work with licensed applicators to select the safest and most effective approach for your specific plants and site conditions.

We also take a long-term view. Properties with high populations of tree-of-heaven — one of the spotted lanternfly’s most preferred hosts — may benefit from removal or management of that species as part of a broader plant health strategy. We can help evaluate whether that makes sense for your property.

Report New Sightings — You Can Help Slow the Spread

If you believe you’ve spotted lanternflies in a Massachusetts community not already known to have an established population, your report matters. Take a clear photograph and report the location to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources at mass.gov/dph-agricultural-resources. Early reporting helps state and local agencies respond before populations become established.

Get Ahead of It This Season

June is the right time to be paying attention. The nymphs are small and mobile now, but the adults that follow will be larger, more damaging, and harder to miss. Landscape properties across Hingham, Cohasset, Duxbury, and the South Shore that take action early — even just diligent monitoring — are better positioned to protect their plantings through the season.

Q: What do spotted lanternfly nymphs look like? A: Spotted lanternfly nymphs in their early stages (June–early July) are tiny — as small as ⅛ inch — and appear black with white spots. They have no wings. In their fourth instar stage (July–August), they develop red patches over the black-and-white pattern and grow to about ½ inch.

Q: Are spotted lanternflies in Hingham, Cohasset, or Duxbury? A: Yes. Spotted lanternfly populations are established and spreading across Massachusetts, including communities on the South Shore such as Hingham, Cohasset, and Duxbury. Monitoring your landscape and reporting new sightings to the MA Department of Agricultural Resources helps track the spread.

Q: Which plants do spotted lanternflies damage? A: Spotted lanternflies feed on a wide range of plants. Their preferred hosts include cultivated and wild grape, rose, tree-of-heaven, black walnut, butternut, and many perennials and annuals. On the South Shore, ornamental gardens and mature woody plantings are most at risk.

Q: Should I spray my plants for spotted lanternfly? A: Not necessarily. Before treating, confirm that spotted lanternflies are actually present, assess the population size, identify any high-value or vulnerable plants, and ensure treatment can be done safely (not on blooming plants). Contact a licensed landscape professional for guidance on the right approach for your property.

Q: How do I report spotted lanternfly in Massachusetts? A: Photograph the insect and report the location at mass.gov or contact the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources directly. Early reporting helps limit the spread.

Schedule Your Landscape Design Consultation Today

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