Since the first spotted lanternflies arrived in Berks County in 2014, the invasive insect has caused a stir. Native to China and southeast Asia, this pest feeds on a wide range of plants, causing potential damage to the fruit and forest industries. The bug’s sticky, sugary excretion — called honeydew — can also further damage plants.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as of 2025, spotted lanternflies have infested 19 states and Washington, D.C. Residents are asked to squash them and destroy their eggs whenever possible.

Amid this invasion, spotted lanternflies are affecting one local industry in an unexpected way: beekeeping and honey production.

‘Biological taps’

Usually, bees make honey from nectar, a sweet secretion from plants. Bees bring the nectar back to their hive and dehydrate it, forming honey. However, honeydew can function in much the same way as nectar.

According to Don Shump, owner of Philadelphia Bee Co., this occurrence is common with aphids in Australia and Europe.

“Aphids attack trees and they’re drinking the sap, and they’re after the amino acids, but they can’t do anything with the sugar. So, that’s the honeydew that they excrete,” Shump explained. “The bees can collect that and bring it back to the hive like any other nectar source, and dehydrate it down and make it into honey. That’s what’s been happening with the lanternfly. The lanternflies are attacking the trees. They’re basically acting like biological taps.”

In late summer and early fall, when the amount of flowers is beginning to decrease, bees are turning to honeydew from spotted lanternflies. Shump said this is leading to an increase in fall honey production that would not normally exist.

A unique flavor

Spotted lanternfly honey is safe to consume, as researchers have determined that the pesticides used to kill spotted lanternflies are only found in trace amounts in the honey — far below any dangerous levels. However, the product might be an acquired taste: spotted lanternfly honey has a distinct, smoky flavor.

Carissa Moncavage, secretary for the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild, said the honey is unique, with a “complex flavor profile.”

“When people taste it, they’re expecting a very sweet, floral kind of honey,” Moncavage said. “So when they taste it, they’re really put off by it. But the people who love it recognize it for its complexity and they talk about using it for barbecues on meat. … I personally eat it in my yogurt with a lot of berries and nuts, and it balances the sweetness.”

Philadelphia Bee Co., in the Frankford section of the city, sells spotted lanternfly honey under the name Doom Gloom.

“We first started getting it back in 2020, when the pandemic was happening,” Shump said. “The lanternflies were supposed to destroy all our agriculture and there were wildfires on the West Coast, so we kind of leaned into it and that’s where the name stemmed from.”

Pros and cons

According to Moncavage, who harvests spotted lanternfly honey at the “ground zero” of the invasive species in Berks County, the overall benefits to beekeepers do not outweigh the ecological consequences of having the insect around.

“I do sell SLF (spotted lanternfly) honey, but I advocate for the eradication of the spotted lanternfly,” Moncavage said. “This is a common theme in beekeeping, where it’s like, ‘There’s a lot of these invasive plants, but the bees love them, so let’s not kill the invasive plants.’ But I don’t subscribe to that.”

Shump agrees that the spotted lanternfly invasion might be beneficial to beekeepers, but the insect still causes issues for certain sectors, such as the grape industry.

“I would happily sacrifice my honey if it benefited the vineyards and the other people who were suffering,” Shump said. “We’re not here to make money off of other people’s suffering.”

Spotted lanternfly honey might not be a permanent fixture for local beekeepers, as the spotted lanternfly populations are decreasing. However, for the time being, Shump said this phenomenon is special.

“I will probably not see another honey like that come out in my lifetime,” Shump said. “It’s very rare for us to get new honey.”

Maggie Dougherty can be reached at Margaret@chestnuthilllocal.com.