Will my dog get sick from eating spotted lanternflies? Here’s what experts say.

Spotted lanternfly danger to dogs

Some dogs or cats may eat spotted lanternflies out of curiosity. Could those insects pose a danger to your pet?Len Melisurgo and USDA

As any pet owner knows, dogs and cats are curious creatures, so they will take an interest in anything they see that’s crawling around or flying through the air. So they might decide to chow down on a spotted lanternfly, especially here in New Jersey, where those invasive bugs have begun to swarm in droves in some towns and cities. Even on the beach.

In case you’re wondering if your pet can get sick if it eats a spotted lanternfly — or more than one — the short answer is yes. But experts seem to agree there’s not much of a chance of long-term health effects.

If anything, your dog or cat would likely have temporary digestive issues, like an upset stomach, and it might throw up after eating some spotted lanternflies, experts say.

Although research is still being conducted, there’s no scientific evidence that spotted lanternflies contain toxins that can seriously harm cats or dogs, according to Brian Eshenaur, a senior extension associate at the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University.

“Spotted lanternflies are occasionally eaten by dogs and cats, and sometimes they will be regurgitated,” Eshenaur told NJ Advance Media in an email. “It is believed that the wings and legs may be an irritant, which causes them not to ‘stay down.’ "

“At this point I would assume that a dog or cat would be okay and you would not need to call the vet if they ate one or two,” Eshenaur said. “We might think of this as being similar to if they ate a cricket or other similar-sized insect. However, too many and there will likely be temporary digestive issues.”

Spotted lanternflies

This is what adult spotted lanternflies look like in the late summer and early fall, with their wings closed.New Jersey Department of Agriculture

Amy Korman, an entomologist for the Penn State Extension in Lehigh and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania, agrees.

“There’s no indication that this (eating spotted lanternflies) could hurt them,” Korman said. “They might throw up — not because they’re harmful, but because they gorge on them.”

That’s what happened last year when a different type of insect was swarming in some areas of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania: periodical cicadas known as Brood X.

There were reports of curious dogs and cats that ate cicadas, and the pets that swallowed too many of them would throw up, Korman said. The same general rule likely applies to spotted lanternflies: Eating too many of the bugs could make your pet feel sick.

“If you could train your pet to go and kill them — not eat them, but kill ‘em — that would be good,” Korman said with a laugh.

For the past few years, agriculture officials have been urging people to kill any spotted lanternflies they see around their homes or businesses because these insects can cause serious damage to grapevines, other crops and certain types of trees.

Having Buddy or Bella join in that battle would actually be helpful to the plants, but not to your pet’s belly.

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Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com.

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