Spotted Lanternfly inDane County, WISPOTTED LANTERNFLY GUIDE

Dane County, home to Madison and the University of Wisconsin flagship campus, is a high-priority watch zone as spotted lanternfly advances westward through Illinois toward Wisconsin. Established as a watch zone in 2025, Dane County's position along I-90/I-39 — the primary freight spine connecting Chicago to the Twin Cities — makes it a likely introduction pathway for SLF hitchhiking on vehicles and cargo. The university campus with its large outdoor gathering spaces, horticultural collections, and constant influx of students and visitors from SLF-infested regions creates elevated introduction risk. Madison's vibrant urban parks and the Capital City State Trail corridor provide habitat for Tree of Heaven that could support rapid SLF population growth if the pest arrives.