How Spotted Lanternflies Affected the Grape Vines at Hiddencroft Vineyards in 2025
That’s the question we’ve been asked most often; and this year, the answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. We did see a significant reduction in grape production across all varieties in 2025. As with most things in farming, there wasn’t a single cause. The season itself was challenging: an extremely wet spring followed by a very dry summer put real stress on the vines during critical growth periods.
At the same time, we observed large numbers of spotted lanternfly nymphs, in multiple hatches, feeding on new, tender shoots early in the season. Lanternflies don’t chew leaves or fruit; they feed by drawing sap. When their feeding pressure is high—especially on young growth—that feeding can weaken vines and compound stress already caused by weather extremes. While it’s difficult to isolate exactly how much impact the lanternflies had versus the weather, it’s reasonable to say they were part of the overall picture this year.
What makes this particularly tricky is that grapevines often show the effects of stress later rather than immediately. Feeding pressure in one season can influence vine vigor, bud development, and yield potential the following year. Severe pressure from climate, disease, and insects can all reduce the vine’s ability to survive harsh winter conditions. That’s why we’re watching closely as we head into spring 2026, looking for signs of how the vines emerge from dormancy, how many suffered winter damage, and and how evenly the surviving vines grow.
So yes—between weather extremes and heavy lanternfly pressure on young shoots, our vines faced a tough year. As growers, our role is to read those signals carefully, adapt where we can, and keep the vines as healthy as possible going forward. Wine has always been shaped by the year it comes from, and 2025 will be remembered as one that tested both vines and patience.
© 2025 Terry Housel. All rights reserved.
This work may not be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from the author, except for brief quotations in reviews or scholarly works.
