---
title: "Spotted Lanternfly"
description: "Lycorma delicatula — Insects & spiders. The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is a species of planthopper indigenous to parts of China and Vietnam."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/spotted-lanternfly
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Spotted Lanternfly

> Lycorma delicatula — Insects & spiders. The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is a species of planthopper indigenous to parts of China and Vietnam.

- Scientific name: *Lycorma delicatula*
- Category: `insects` (Insects & spiders)
- Habitats: unknown
- iNaturalist observations: 101032
- Wikidata: [Q10571341](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10571341)
- iNaturalist taxon: [324726](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/324726)

## Names

- en: Spotted Lanternfly
- de: Gepunktete Laternenträgerzikade
- es: Chinche linterna manchada
- fr: Fulgore tacheté

## Countries with the most observations

US (94521), CN (2475), KR (1491), JP (164), CA (43), KP (4)

## Summary

The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is a species of planthopper indigenous to parts of China and Vietnam. It was accidentally introduced into South Korea and has spread invasively to Japan, United States and Windsor in Canada, where it is often referred to by the acronym "SLF". Its preferred host is the also invasive tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), but it also feeds on other trees, and on crops including soybean, grapes, stone fruits, and Malus species. In its native habitat, L. delicatula populations are regulated by parasitic wasps.
The spotted lanternfly's life cycle is often centered on its preferred…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_lanternfly

## Photo

![Spotted Lanternfly](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/spotted-lanternfly/medium.jpg)

Photo: Martyn Drabik-Hamshare · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/185893189

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/spotted-lanternfly?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).