Spotted Lanternfly inUnion County, NJSPOTTED LANTERNFLY GUIDE
Union County — with Elizabeth as its county seat — is one of New Jersey's earliest confirmed SLF counties, established in 2019. The Newark-Elizabeth seaport industrial complex at Port Newark-Elizabeth is one of the busiest freight ports on the East Coast, and the constant flow of containers, trucks, and intermodal freight makes the Elizabeth freight hub a critical ongoing SLF reinforcement node. The county's character spans enormous socioeconomic range: from the industrial waterfront at Elizabeth to the affluent suburbs of Summit and Westfield with their mature tree canopy, SLF populations have become deeply embedded across the entire county. NJ Transit Raritan Valley Line commuter service and Kean University's campus grounds are additional monitoring zones as populations continue to expand.
Highest activity zones
SLF Hotspots in Union County, NJ
Watchung Reservation (monitoring site)
Active zone
Warinanco Park
Active zone
Summit Greenway
Active zone
Elizabeth freight hub (Port Newark-Elizabeth)
Active zone
Rahway River corridor
Active zone
Primary SLF food source
Tree of Heaven in Union County, NJ
Tree of Heaven is well established throughout Union County's urban streetscapes, rail corridors, and park margins, particularly in Elizabeth, Rahway, and along the NJ Transit Raritan Valley Line embankments. The Watchung Reservation — an urban wildlife area straddling the Union-Somerset county border — has Ailanthus populations at the suburban-forest interface that have made it a significant SLF monitoring site. Port Newark-Elizabeth freight hub perimeter margins are a priority zone: Ailanthus colonizes the fenced industrial margins of one of the nation's busiest ports, creating an SLF reservoir adjacent to constant high-volume vehicle and freight movement. The Rahway River corridor and Warinanco Park have additional ToH concentrations that support persistent SLF populations through the fall season.
Identify Tree of Heaven →Local action resources
What To Do in Union County, NJ
Report a Sighting
Every sighting in Union County, NJ maps the invasion front. Report directly to NJ 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 NJ State Guide
County-level data, quarantine zones, treatment guides, and agency resources for the entire state.
See the full NJ guide →Community intelligence
Live Sighting Map
See where SLF has been spotted near you in Union County, NJ. Add your own sighting to help map the front.
Open the Map →Free weekly fight briefing
Fight SLF in Union County, NJ.
One email per week. Your zip code. Your threat level. Your action plan. Know exactly what to do this week in Union County, NJ.