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Northern Virginians battling spotted lanternflies have a new target: the invasive insect’s hard-to-find egg masses.

From September through April, female lanternflies lay clusters of eggs that survive the winter and hatch into large numbers of nymphs in the spring. With each mass containing 30 to 50 eggs, destroying even a few can help reduce the next generation without pesticides.

Earlier efforts focused on killing spotted lanternflies in their nymph and adult stages. Residents stomped or squished the insects, while some used handheld or backpack vacuums to capture the fast-moving planthoppers. But many escaped by hiding or remaining high in trees.

Both adults and nymphs gather in groups to suck sap from plant stems and tree trunks. They are commonly associated with the invasive Tree of Heaven but also feed on grapes, peaches, apples, walnuts, oaks and pines.

Their feeding produces a sugary waste called honeydew, which can drip from trees and encourage black sooty mold on trunks and nearby plants. The honeydew also attracts bees and wasps. Spotted lanternflies do not bite or sting, but people should use caution around the other insects drawn to feeding sites, including ground bees that may build overwintering nests nearby.

Adult lanternflies become slower as females carry eggs, and all adults die when cold weather arrives. Their eggs, however, remain through the winter.

Freshly laid egg masses have a white, waxy appearance. As they dry, they resemble thin, light-gray patches of mud or cement measuring about an inch long and three-quarters of an inch wide.

The masses can appear anywhere sheltered from wind and winter weather. On trees, they are often found beneath branches, in protected forks or on the leeward sides of trunks. They may also be attached to rocks, patio furniture, sheds and car tires.

Reachable egg masses can be crushed by firmly dragging a putty knife, credit card or another hard-edged object across them until the eggs pop. Another option is to scrape the mass into a bag containing rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer or soapy water made with liquid dish detergent. The eggs should make direct contact with the solution before the bag is discarded.

Some masses will remain concealed or out of reach, so spotted lanternflies are still likely to return in the spring. Finding and destroying as many clusters as possible now can nevertheless limit their population and reduce their impact when warmer weather arrives.