The insect pictured is indeed a spotted lanternfly. This invasive insect is becoming widespread now in Maryland. They are a nuisance pest, but they are not causing any major damage in gardens. You can report your finding and submit your photo to the Maryland Department of Agriculture using the form on their website. Our recently updated page, Spotted Lanternfly Management for Residents, will tell you more about these insects and what you can do.

As for your Knock Out roses, you are welcome to send us photos of the symptoms you're seeing on your plants. At this time of year, we most commonly see problems with roseslug sawfly damage on them.  They can also have problems with fungal leaf spot diseases. Refer to our page on managing common problems of roses.

Pear trees in some locations are showing symptoms of diseases such as rust, fire blight, and powdery mildew. 'Bradford' pears are highly invasive trees in our state and are no longer recommended. We do not recommend any type of treatment for them. If the tree is in decline overall, you may want to plan for replacement if feasible. There are state and county-level programs that offer some support (rebates) for tree planting. Some residents of Anne Arundel can also get trees as part of the "Backyard Buffers"program, which you may also look into.

Christa

You're welcome.