Spotted Lanternfly inErie County, NYSPOTTED LANTERNFLY GUIDE
Erie County is the Buffalo metro — New York's second largest city — where SLF was first detected in 2023, marking the insect's arrival at one of the most strategically significant freight and transportation hubs in the Great Lakes region. Buffalo's position as the Niagara Frontier transport hub means the I-90 New York State Thruway, the I-190 Niagara corridor, and the NFTA Metro Rail system all converge here, creating multiple vectors for SLF spread and reinforcement from established eastern populations. The Peace Bridge US-Canada border crossing at Buffalo carries enormous daily freight traffic and represents a critical international spread risk. Lake Erie's shoreline parks and the Buffalo waterfront are priority monitoring zones as SLF populations work to establish across this major Great Lakes gateway. SLF was recently detected in Erie County but a breeding population is not yet confirmed as fully established.
Highest activity zones
SLF Hotspots in Erie County, NY
Buffalo metro urban core
Active zone
I-90/I-190 Niagara Frontier corridor
Active zone
Lake Erie shoreline parks
Active zone
NFTA Metro Rail Buffalo corridor
Active zone
Peace Bridge US–Canada border crossing
Active zone
Primary SLF food source
Tree of Heaven in Erie County, NY
Tree of Heaven is present along the I-90 Thruway and I-190 Niagara Frontier road margins in Erie County, providing SLF dispersal pathways from the established Finger Lakes and Central New York infestation zones westward into the Buffalo metro. The NFTA Metro Rail corridor and former freight rail margins through downtown Buffalo have Ailanthus colonization that extends SLF host habitat through the urban core. Lake Erie shoreline park edges and the Peace Bridge approach roads are priority monitoring zones as Erie County's role as an international freight gateway amplifies SLF spread risk beyond the regional scale.
Identify Tree of Heaven →Local action resources
What To Do in Erie County, NY
Report a Sighting
Every sighting in Erie County, NY maps the invasion front. Report directly to New York State DEC.
Report Now →Squish on Sight
See a spotted lanternfly? Kill it immediately — it is legal and encouraged in all states. Learn the best kill methods.
Full Fight Guide →Map ToH in Your Block
Tree of Heaven removal cuts off SLF food supply. Add ToH sightings to the community map to guide removal efforts.
View Sighting Map →Statewide resources
Full New York State Guide
County-level data, quarantine zones, treatment guides, and agency resources for the entire state.
See the full New York guide →Community intelligence
Live Sighting Map
See where SLF has been spotted near you in Erie County, NY. Add your own sighting to help map the front.
Open the Map →Free weekly fight briefing
Fight SLF in Erie County, NY.
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