Spotted Lanternflies (SLF) are sap-sucking insects that swarm and devour plants and leave a residue called honeydew on surfaces, including houses and cars.  Honeydew attracts wasps and ants; grows a dark, sooty mold; and as it ferments, produces a strong, rotten odor.
 
These invasive insects are natives of Asia who first appeared in Pennsylvania in 2014.  They arrived in Loudoun County in August 2022 and first appeared Ashburn Village last year, with minimal impact.  This year is expected to be much worse.  SLF nymphs started popping up throughout our community in mid-May. 
 
Although they can feed on other species, SLF prefer their native host plant, the Tree of Heaven (ToH), and have higher survival rates and produce more eggs when they feed on it.  To try to reduce the impact of SLF, Ashburn Village took the initiative to remove as many as 70% of the ToH in the community last year.  Unfortunately, ToH is highly invasive itself – a single tree can produce over 300,000 seeds per year! 
 
We hope to eradicate the Tree of Heaven from Ashburn Village this year, removing the primary tree that attracts the SLF to our community.  But we can’t do it without your help! 

By simply helping us locate the ToH, you are doing the community a grat service.  If you want to go the extra mile, we are also looking for volunteer residents to help us treat and kill ToH on the last Sundays of June, July and August.  

To help us locate the ToH in Ashburn Village, and/or volunteer to help kill them, please complete the form below.

Thanks for your help!