The Invasive Pest That Is the Spotted Lanternfly Has Finally Been Detected in New Hampshire

Well, it finally happened. The spotted lanternfly has been spotted in New Hampshire.

While general warnings to "watch out" and "squish if seen" in the Granite State have been out there for years, it wasn't until 2026 that the possibility became a reality.

The New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food confirmed in a press release that the invasive pest was, in fact, detected in Salem. Oh, boy.

Is the Spotted Lanternfly Present in New Hampshire?

The answer used to be a resounding "no" for a long time, but that's not the case anymore.

As of August 2026, a small number of spotted lanternflies were found in Salem, New Hampshire, according to the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food.

This marks the first official detection of the invasive insect in the state.

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The department did note in the press release that "there is no evidence of an established population at this time and additional multi-agency surveys are underway to determine the extent of the detection."

So, at least it's not a full-blown takeover of the winged critters, but still, the fact that they've finally been seen in the area does not feel like a good sign.

Why Is the Spotted Lanternfly Bad?

I've heard about the spotted lanternfly being bad news, but that's pretty much it. Sadly, my insect knowledge is a real trivia blind spot.

Turns out, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture says that the spotted lanternfly is a "hitchhiking pest" and "invasive planthopper that feeds on a wide range of plants, including grapevines, hops, stone fruit trees, and hardwood trees."

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The inspection service also says that it's originally from Asia but found its way to the U.S. in 2014, likely by attaching itself to shipped goods from overseas.

Basically, the spotted lanternfly can quickly spread and cause major damage to a number of plant species it feeds on, according to the Natural History Museum in London. And that can be bad both economically and environmentally.

Thankfully, it's not harmful to people or animals.

Where Has the Spotted Lanternfly Been Found in New England?

New Hampshire isn't the first New England state to encounter the spotted lanternfly.

MassLive.com reported that a dead one was spotted in Massachusetts in 2018 before live ones were discovered in 2021.

That was just the beginning, too. It looks like other New England states like Connecticut and Rhode Island have joined Massachusetts in having very present populations of the insect as of today, according to the inspection service.

It hasn't been found in Maine yet, aside from some egg masses reported by WABI in 2020. But before August, it wasn't in New Hampshire either...

READ MORE: Beware of The Gigantic Dobsonflies in Maine

So what now? Time to panic?

No, it's not the time for a freak out. The discovery of a small number of spotted lanternflies in Salem, New Hampshire, doesn't mean it's a full-blown established infestation. There's still investigating being done.

But it's not exactly great news either. If anything, keep an eye out for those black spots and red hind wings, report 'em if you see 'em, and, well, go ahead and squish 'em.

Let's just hope this recent discovery is all there is, and it's just a small blip of misfortune for the state.