Neighbor’s Tree Leaves Toledo Woman’s Yard Overrun With Hundreds of Spotted Lanternflies
TOLEDO, Ohio — A Toledo woman says her backyard has become a sticky, bug-covered no-go zone, and the source of the problem is a tree that doesn’t even belong to her.
Heather Keyes told 13 Action News that hundreds of spotted lanternflies have descended on her property, coating everything under a nearby tree with a sugary residue and making part of her yard unusable. The insects began causing trouble about a year ago, she said, and she has already killed hundreds—yet they keep returning.
“I can’t park my car back here, I can’t even sit back here,” Keyes told reporter Imani Jackson.
The infestation centers on a tree of heaven growing just inches from her driveway, according to the station. But the tree sits on the neighboring property, leaving Keyes with limited authority over the very thing fueling the swarm.
Spotted lanternflies are invasive insects that feed by piercing plants and drinking their sap. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says they will feed on many plants, but the tree of heaven is their preferred host. The tree is invasive, too. Metroparks Toledo says both species are found in the area and that spotted lanternflies were first confirmed in Lucas County in 2022.
The residue covering Keyes’ property may be more than sap dripping from the tree. Penn State Extension explains that lanternflies consume sugary plant sap and excrete the excess sugar as a liquid called honeydew. During a heavy infestation, so much honeydew can fall from a tree that the extension compares it to a light rain.
That drizzle can coat cars, patios, and outdoor furniture. It can also encourage black sooty mold and attract ants, wasps, and other insects. In other words, despite its sweet name, honeydew is hardly a welcome addition to a yard—and a tree of heaven can feel anything but divine to live near.
Keyes said her landlord has trimmed the parts of the tree that can be reached from her side, but the insects continue to return to the neighboring tree.
Using county records, 13 Action News identified the owner of the neighboring property as Mercer Holdings 1 LLC. Mercer Maintenance shares the same address. The station reached out to the company, and the maintenance director confirmed that he knew about the tree problem and had previously spoken with Keyes. He added that she could trim portions of the tree extending onto her property.
Cutting down the tree of heaven, however, is not a simple fix. Penn State Extension warns that the invasive tree readily sends up new shoots from its roots after cutting and recommends treating the root system as part of a proper removal process.
13 Action News also asked to speak with the neighboring property’s owner. As of the station’s Aug. 25 report, it had not received a response.
The standoff underscores a broader challenge with invasive species: even when a problem is visible, the solution can be tangled up in property lines, treatment costs, and the stubborn resilience of the plant itself. For now, Keyes says the lanternflies keep coming, and her yard remains caught in the middle.
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