WHY WE BUILT THISTHE FIGHTAGAINST SLF
Lanternfly Watch is a citizen-powered platform for tracking, fighting, and stopping the spread of Spotted Lanternfly in the DC/MD/VA region and beyond.
The problem
Two Gaps. One Platform.
The Data Gap
Official state reporting systems are fragmented, slow to update, and not visible to neighbors. If your neighbor three streets over just found 50 SLF on their maple, you should know. Right now, you don't.
The Action Gap
Most people don't know what to do or when to do it. The seasonal window for maximum impact — egg mass season, early nymph season — closes fast. We make the right action obvious at the right time.
What we do
Four Tools. One Mission.
Community Sighting Map
Our crowd-sourced map puts every confirmed sighting in front of you in real time. If your neighbor found 50 SLF on their maple, you should know — and now you will.
Research-Backed Guides
Every control recommendation we publish is tied to Penn State Extension, USDA APHIS, or peer-reviewed university research. No guesswork, no product hype.
Seasonal Alerts
We tell you what to do and when — based on actual degree-day models. The egg mass window, the nymph window, the adult kill season: you get the timing, not a generic calendar.
Citizen Science Integration
Every sighting submitted to Lanternfly Watch pushes directly to iNaturalist's global database (taxon 324726), contributing your observations to the broader scientific record.
Our data sources
Where Our Info Comes From
We are not a government agency. Every piece of information on this platform is sourced from peer-reviewed research, official government databases, or verified community observations.
Who's behind this
Independent.
No Agenda.
No Sponsors.
Lanternfly Watch is an independent civic project. We're not affiliated with any government agency or commercial pest control company. We have no financial interest in any specific treatment product. Our only goal is to stop the spread.
Transparency
How We Stay Independent
- No paid product endorsements — ever.
- Affiliate links (gear page) are disclosed and limited to equipment only, not pesticides.
- Newsletter funded by reader support via Ko-fi.
- No VC funding, no ads, no data selling.
Reader support keeps the lights on. Support the project on Ko-fi →
Get involved
Want to Help?
Report a Sighting
Every pin counts. Add your observation to the community map.
Open Map →Join the Newsletter
Weekly seasonal alerts personalized to your zip code. Always free.
Subscribe Free →Support the Project
Keep this independent. A few dollars keeps the servers running and new features shipping.
Support on Ko-fi →Press & Partnerships
Journalists, researchers, and organizations — we have data, maps, quotes, and story angles ready for you.
Contact
Get in Touch
Tips, corrections, partnership inquiries — we read everything and respond to what we can.
contact@lanternflywatch.com