Spotted Lanternfly inNew Castle County, DESPOTTED LANTERNFLY GUIDE
New Castle County is Delaware's most populous county and one of the first counties outside Pennsylvania to confirm SLF, with detection recorded in 2017. The county's critical position at the I-95 Delaware Memorial Bridge crossing makes it a major SLF corridor connecting the established Pennsylvania and New Jersey infestation zones to the mid-Atlantic south. Wilmington — the largest city in Delaware and the county seat — hosts an urban core with dense Tree of Heaven along its rail and riverfront corridors. The Port of Wilmington, a major East Coast cargo port, and the chemical and pharmaceutical industry corridor along I-95 north create layered freight-mediated spread risk as SLF populations are deeply established throughout the county.
Highest activity zones
SLF Hotspots in New Castle County, DE
Delaware Memorial Bridge I-95 crossing corridor
Active zone
Port of Wilmington freight zone
Active zone
Christina River waterfront
Active zone
Wilmington urban core tree canopy
Active zone
Chemical/pharmaceutical industry corridor (I-95 north)
Active zone
Primary SLF food source
Tree of Heaven in New Castle County, DE
Tree of Heaven is well established along New Castle County's Christina River waterfront and I-95 road margins, providing primary SLF dispersal pathways through the heart of the Wilmington urban core. The Delaware Memorial Bridge approach corridors and Port of Wilmington freight perimeter have Ailanthus colonization adjacent to some of the highest-volume vehicle and cargo movement in the region. The pharmaceutical and chemical industry corridor along I-95 north has road-margin ToH populations that extend SLF habitat through the county's most economically significant industrial zones.
Identify Tree of Heaven →Local action resources
What To Do in New Castle County, DE
Report a Sighting
Every sighting in New Castle County, DE maps the invasion front. Report directly to Delaware Department of Agriculture.
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 DE State Guide
County-level data, quarantine zones, treatment guides, and agency resources for the entire state.
See the full DE guide →Community intelligence
Live Sighting Map
See where SLF has been spotted near you in New Castle County, DE. Add your own sighting to help map the front.
Open the Map →Free weekly fight briefing
Fight SLF in New Castle County, DE.
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