Spotted Lanternfly Spreads to 186 Massachusetts Communities

State agriculture officials confirmed 78 new infestations this year, with the pest now found in more than half of the state's cities and towns.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Landscaping

Bold flat-color vector editorial illustration of a tall tree trunk with a cluster of spotted lanternflies clinging to its base, set against an autumn treeline. — Massachusetts officials confirmed 78 new spotted lanternfly infestations this year, bringing the state's total to 186 communities, more than half its cities and towns. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you remove spotted lanternfly egg masses from your own property this fall?

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources confirmed 78 new spotted lanternfly communities in 2026, bringing the total to 186. Infestations now cover more than half of the state's cities and towns.

Why it matters

The spotted lanternfly spreads through human transport and thrives in urban areas where its preferred host, tree of heaven, grows. Its steady growth from four infestations in 2021 to 186 communities underscores the challenge of containing the pest across Massachusetts.

MDAR scraped 38,000 egg masses from 250 commercial and industrial sites in 2025, and each egg mass holds roughly 30 to 50 eggs. Springfield and Holyoke have the largest populations in the Pioneer Valley, though the exact counts for those cities were not reported.

The players

Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources

The state agency responsible for tracking agricultural pests and confirming the spread of invasive species such as the spotted lanternfly across Massachusetts.

The details

Humans spread spotted lanternflies by hitchhiking inside wheel wells and laying eggs on transport vehicles. Adult insects are typically seen from July to December, and MDAR announced the latest community count at a quarterly meeting on Nov. 4, 2026.

The spotted lanternfly arrived in Massachusetts in late 2020.
Four new infestations were found in 2021, followed by 12 in 2022.
Forty-three new infestations were found in 2023.
MDAR announced the latest community count on Nov. 4, 2026.

Seasonal Patterns

The count has risen each year since the pest's 2020 arrival, from four new infestations in 2021 to 65 in 2025 and 78 in 2026. The steady growth tracks the pest's spread through urban areas where tree of heaven thrives.

Residents who spot egg masses, nymphs, or adult lanternflies on vehicles, outdoor furniture, or trees can help slow spread by checking and cleaning items before travel. Homeowners with tree of heaven on their property may also want to consider how it fits into their landscaping plans.

The takeaway

Checking vehicles and outdoor gear for lanternfly egg masses and hitchhiking insects is a simple step that helps limit the pest's spread across Massachusetts.