Venus reached peak brilliance for its current evening appearance on September 18, 2026, according to NASA, and it remains a spectacular sight in the days immediately afterward. Shortly after sunset, look toward a clear western horizon and you should be able to pick it out easily.

In fact, Venus is so bright that people often mistake it for an airplane, a distant light — or an unusually brilliant star.

See That Bright “Star” in the West? It’s Venus

Step outside shortly after sunset on a clear September evening and face west.

Before most of the stars have even appeared, you may notice a brilliant white point of light shining through the fading twilight.

That’s Venus.

NASA’s September 2026 Skywatching Guide specifically highlights Venus this month, noting that it reached the brightest point of this evening appearance on September 18.

You won’t need a telescope.

You won’t even need binoculars.

Venus should stand out to the naked eye because it outshines every true star in the night sky. NASA describes Venus as the brightest planet seen from Earth and the brightest nighttime object after the Moon.

For more help identifying the planets overhead, bookmark the Farmers’ Almanac Visible Planets Guide.

When Should You Look for Venus?

Your best bet is to head outside shortly after local sunset.

Look:

• Direction: West to southwest
• When: Shortly after sunset
• What to look for: An exceptionally bright, steady white point
• Equipment: None required
• Best location: Somewhere with an unobstructed western horizon

Venus is relatively low in the sky, so trees, hills, houses, and tall buildings can block it. A wide-open field, hilltop, beach, or west-facing overlook can provide a particularly good view.

NASA recommends finding a location with a clear western horizon because Venus will eventually sink below the horizon as evening progresses.

Why Is Venus So Bright?

Venus has several things working in its favor.

First, it is relatively close to Earth. It is also similar to Earth in size.

But one of the biggest reasons it appears so brilliant is its atmosphere.

Venus is permanently covered by thick clouds, which are highly reflective. Those clouds bounce a tremendous amount of sunlight back toward space — including toward observers here on Earth. NASA notes that Venus is the third-brightest object in our sky after the Sun and Moon.

There’s another interesting twist.

Venus doesn’t necessarily appear brightest when it is closest to Earth. Its apparent brightness depends on a combination of distance and phase — much like the phases of the Moon. Near peak brilliance, Venus can appear as a large crescent through a telescope while still reflecting enough sunlight to look extraordinarily bright from Earth.

Why Is Venus Called the “Evening Star”?

For thousands of years, people have watched Venus appear near sunrise or sunset.

Because Venus orbits closer to the Sun than Earth does, from our perspective it never travels very far from the Sun in the sky. That means we generally see it either shortly before sunrise or shortly after sunset.

When Venus appears after sunset, it has traditionally been called the Evening Star.

When it appears before sunrise, it becomes the Morning Star.

But in both cases, you’re looking at the same planet.

Ancient observers did not always realize that. Some early cultures regarded the morning and evening appearances as separate celestial objects before astronomers eventually understood they were both Venus. NASA explains how Venus’s position inside Earth’s orbit produces these alternating morning and evening appearances.

Can You See Venus From a City?

Yes.

That’s one of the best things about watching Venus.

You don’t need pristine dark skies. Because the planet is so bright, it can often be spotted even from cities and suburbs with significant light pollution. NASA notes that Venus can be visible with the naked eye even in areas with high levels of ambient light when skies are clear.

The bigger issue this week is likely to be your horizon, rather than light pollution.

Find someplace where buildings or trees aren’t blocking your western view.

Tonight Is an Especially Good Night to Look Up

The timing couldn’t be better.

September is already packed with skywatching events. Venus’s brilliant evening appearance comes alongside the arrival of the 2026 Autumn Equinox and just days before the Full Harvest Moon on September 26.

Our complete September 2026 guide includes the month’s Moon phases, seasonal changes, astronomical events, and other reasons to keep watching the sky.

And if you’re just getting interested in stargazing, Farmers’ Almanac also has a monthly night-sky guide covering constellations, planets, and the best nights to head outside.

Try This Tonight

About 15 to 30 minutes after sunset, step outside and find the clearest western horizon you can.

Watch the twilight slowly darken.

Before long, one extraordinarily bright point should begin dominating that part of the sky.

That’s not the first star of the evening.

That’s Venus.

And after reaching peak brilliance only days ago, the Evening Star is putting on one of its finest shows of 2026.

Quick Facts: Venus Tonight

What is the bright “star” after sunset?
Most likely Venus if you’re looking low toward the western or southwestern horizon shortly after sunset.

Is Venus really a star?
No. Venus is the second planet from the Sun.

Do I need a telescope?
No. Venus is easily visible to the naked eye.

When was Venus brightest in September 2026?
NASA says Venus reached peak brilliance for this evening appearance on September 18, 2026.

Where should I look?
Toward the west shortly after sunset, ideally from a location with a clear horizon.

Late September is an especially important time to watch for Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum), an invasive annual grass that has spread across much of the eastern United States.

It doesn’t look particularly threatening.

In fact, Japanese stiltgrass can be easy to mistake for ordinary grass. But once established, it can spread across lawns, gardens, roadsides, trails, and woodland floors, forming thick mats that crowd out other plants.

And right now comes the most important part of its life cycle:

It’s producing seeds.

According to Penn State Extension, Japanese stiltgrass produces seedheads from late summer through October, with each plant capable of producing 100 to 1,000 seeds.

Those seeds can remain hidden in the soil for years.

So if you have Japanese stiltgrass growing on your property, one of the most useful things you can do this fall is remarkably simple:

Pull it before the seeds drop.

What Does Japanese Stiltgrass Look Like?

Once you know what to look for, Japanese stiltgrass is relatively easy to recognize.

The biggest clue is on the leaf itself.

Look for:

• Pale or light green leaves
• Leaves roughly 2 to 4 inches long
• A distinctive silvery stripe running lengthwise along the leaf
• Thin, wiry stems
• A sprawling, almost miniature-bamboo appearance
• Shallow roots
• Small seedheads appearing in late summer and fall

That silvery stripe is especially useful for identification.

According to Penn State Extension’s Japanese stiltgrass identification guide, the stripe is made up of reflective hairs and typically runs slightly off-center along the upper surface of the leaf.

Japanese stiltgrass can grow upright at first, but longer stems often fall over and spread across the ground, creating dense mats.

It also roots very shallowly.

That is good news if you find a small patch because it means the plants are usually surprisingly easy to pull by hand.

Why You Should Pull It Now

Timing matters with Japanese stiltgrass.

The plant is an annual, meaning the grass growing in your yard this year will eventually die after frost.

But killing the plant isn’t really the problem.

The seeds are.

Japanese stiltgrass spends spring and summer growing before producing flowers and seeds in late summer and early fall.

The University of Maryland Extension reports that seedheads typically begin forming from mid-September through October.

That makes early fall one of the most important times of year to check your property.

If those seeds mature and fall to the ground, next year’s problem has already begun.

And it may not be only next year’s problem.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension reports that Japanese stiltgrass seeds can remain viable in the soil for up to five years.

That’s why stopping seed production is so important.

A plant you pull today isn’t simply one less weed in your yard.

It could mean hundreds—or potentially 1,000—fewer seeds entering the soil.

How To Remove Japanese Stiltgrass

If you’re dealing with a small patch, you usually don’t need anything complicated.

Pull it.

Japanese stiltgrass has a weak, shallow root system and generally comes out of moist soil easily.

Grab the stems close to the ground and pull upward, removing as much of the plant as possible.

For homeowners already doing their September lawn care, this is a good weed to look for while walking the yard.

The most important thing is to remove it before mature seeds fall.

What If It Already Has Seedheads?

Be more careful.

If the plant has developed seedheads, avoid shaking or dragging it unnecessarily across your property.

The University of Maryland Extension recommends that plants with seedheads not be composted.

Instead, bag seed-bearing plants for disposal according to your local yard-waste rules.

This is also a good reason to identify stiltgrass before doing your final mowing of the year.

A mower can be useful for managing larger patches at the proper stage, but once mature seed is present, moving through an infestation may help spread it.

Why Does Japanese Stiltgrass Keep Coming Back?

You may pull every plant you can find this fall and still see Japanese stiltgrass next spring.

That doesn’t necessarily mean your efforts failed.

It means there may already be a seed bank hidden beneath the soil.

According to Rutgers Cooperative Extension, an individual plant can produce up to 1,000 seeds, and those seeds may remain viable for up to five years.

Some may germinate next spring.

Others can remain dormant.

This is why controlling an established stiltgrass patch often takes persistence over several seasons.

Think of your goal as slowly emptying a savings account—but instead of money, the account is filled with weed seeds.

Every year that you prevent new seeds from being deposited, you reduce the number available to sprout in future years.

Don’t Accidentally Spread It Around Your Property

Japanese stiltgrass seeds don’t always stay where they fall.

They’re small and remarkably easy to move.

Seeds can be transported by:

• Shoes and boots
• Lawn equipment
• Vehicle tires
• Animals
• Flowing water
• Mud and contaminated soil

Penn State notes that stiltgrass seed can spread on vehicles, equipment and contaminated soil, while water can transport seeds through ditches, streams and wet areas.

That means you can unknowingly move seeds from one side of your property to another.

If you’ve been walking, mowing, or working in an infested area, clean visible soil and plant debris from boots and equipment before moving into an uninfested part of the yard.

This becomes especially important during fall yard cleanup, when you’re also raking leaves and preparing the lawn for winter.

Where Does Japanese Stiltgrass Grow?

Japanese stiltgrass is often associated with moist, shaded areas, but it can tolerate a surprisingly broad range of conditions.

Watch for it along:

• Woodland edges
• Walking trails
• Roadways
• Drainage areas
• Ditches
• Shady lawns
• Garden beds
• Streams
• Disturbed soil

It can also creep outward from wooded areas and gradually spread into lawns and gardens.

If you live next to woods, pay particular attention to the transition zone between your lawn and the forest.

That’s often where invasive plants first become noticeable.

Be Sure It’s Japanese Stiltgrass Before Pulling It

One word of caution:

Not every grass with a similar shape is Japanese stiltgrass.

Several native grasses can be mistaken for it.

One important look-alike is Virginia whitegrass (Leersia virginica).

The easiest feature to check is that characteristic silver stripe.

Japanese stiltgrass typically has a shiny, silvery stripe running down the leaf. Virginia whitegrass does not.

Penn State also notes that whitegrass has a much larger flowering structure and patches of white hairs around the base of its leaves.

If you’re not sure what you have, take a close-up photograph and compare the leaves, stems, and seedheads with a reputable Extension identification guide before removing a large patch.

What Happens to Japanese Stiltgrass in Winter?

Because Japanese stiltgrass is an annual, frost eventually kills the growing plants.

The leaves may turn reddish-purple or brown in autumn before dying.

But don’t let that fool you into thinking the problem has solved itself.

The parent plant may be dead, but its seeds can be waiting in the soil for spring.

It’s similar to many other fall lawn chores: what you do before winter can make a major difference when growth resumes.

That’s also why autumn is a good time to consider whether you’re watering your lawn too late—or stopping too early and whether fallen leaves are helping or hurting your grass.

The Bottom Line

If you notice a patch of pale green, sprawling grass with a silvery stripe down its leaves, don’t simply assume it’s ordinary grass.

Take a closer look.

It could be Japanese stiltgrass.

And during late September and early fall, time matters.

A single plant can produce up to 1,000 seeds, and some of those seeds can remain viable in the ground for years.

For small patches, one of the best things you can do is also one of the easiest:

Pull it now—before those seeds hit the ground.

Japanese Stiltgrass At a Glance

What to look for: Pale green leaves with a silvery stripe
Where it grows: Lawns, woodland edges, trails, gardens, ditches, and moist disturbed areas
When it produces seeds: Late summer through fall
Seeds per plant: Up to 1,000
How long seeds can survive: Up to five years
Small infestation: Hand-pull before seeds mature
Seedheads already present: Handle carefully and don’t compost
Will it return next year? Possibly—seeds already in the soil can continue germinating for several years

On the fall equinox, day and night are nearly equal across the United States. But from that point forward, daylight steadily retreats until we reach the winter solstice on December 21—the shortest day of the year.

Just how much daylight disappears during those three months depends largely on one thing: latitude.

Residents of Hawaii lose barely more than an hour of daylight over the course of fall. In Alaska, the seasonal change can amount to nearly six hours.

And for much of the northern United States, the difference between September and December is surprisingly dramatic.

How Much Daylight Does Your State Lose?

The figures below represent the approximate total decrease in daylight between September 22 and December 21. Because daylight varies considerably within larger states, we used the latitude of each state capital as a representative location.

Values are approximate and based on representative state-capital latitudes. Day length varies within individual states.

Why Do Northern States Lose More Daylight?

It all comes down to the tilt of the Earth.

Earth’s axis is tilted about 23.5 degrees. As the Northern Hemisphere moves from fall toward winter, it gradually tilts farther away from the Sun.

The farther north you travel, the greater the seasonal swing in the length of the day.

That is why places like Montana, North Dakota, Washington, Minnesota, and Maine lose considerably more daylight during autumn than Florida, Texas, or Louisiana.

Alaska takes this effect to the extreme. Depending on where you are in the state, the difference can be enormous, with areas north of the Arctic Circle eventually experiencing periods when the Sun doesn’t rise at all.

How Much Daylight Do We Lose Each Day?

The fall equinox and winter solstice are roughly 90 days apart.

Across much of the continental United States, that works out to an average decline of roughly:

• Southern states: about 1.3–1.6 minutes per day
• Middle latitudes: about 1.7–2.0 minutes per day
• Northern states: about 2.0–2.4 minutes per day
• Alaska: approaching 4 minutes per day on average in our representative calculation
• Hawaii: less than 1 minute per day

But there’s an important catch.

You don’t lose exactly the same amount of daylight every day.

The rate of change varies throughout the season. Daylight generally changes relatively quickly around the equinox and then the daily change gradually slows as the winter solstice approaches.

That’s why the word average matters.

Where Does Daylight Disappear Fastest?

Among the Lower 48, some of the biggest autumn daylight losses occur across the northern tier.

Washington: about 3.7 hours
Montana: about 3.6 hours
North Dakota: about 3.6 hours
Minnesota: about 3.4 hours
Oregon: about 3.4 hours
Maine: about 3.3 hours
Vermont: about 3.3 hours

Compare that with:

Texas: about 2.0 hours
Florida: about 2.0 hours
Louisiana: about 2.0 hours
Hawaii: about 1.3 hours

That is a remarkable difference over just one season.

Does Daylight Saving Time Cause Us to Lose Daylight?

No.

When the clocks change in November, Daylight Saving Time doesn’t change how much sunlight we receive. It simply shifts the clock time at which sunrise and sunset occur.

Turning the clocks back can make the loss of evening light feel especially abrupt, but the shortening of the day has been happening gradually since the summer solstice.

Why Doesn’t the Earliest Sunset Happen on the Winter Solstice?

Here’s another seasonal curiosity: the earliest sunset of the year usually occurs before the winter solstice, while the latest sunrise often occurs afterward.

That’s because our clocks and the apparent movement of the Sun don’t line up perfectly from day to day. Earth’s tilted axis and slightly elliptical orbit combine to produce a phenomenon known as the equation of time.

The winter solstice still gives us the shortest overall period between sunrise and sunset, even though it isn’t necessarily the day with the earliest sunset.

The Good News: The Light Starts Coming Back

December 21 marks the turning point.

After the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere begins slowly gaining daylight again. At first the difference can be difficult to notice, but as January progresses, those extra minutes become increasingly apparent.

By the time spring arrives, the process has completely reversed.

So when those late-autumn afternoons begin feeling unusually dark, remember:

The farther north you go, the more quickly daylight disappears in fall—but after the winter solstice, every day brings a little more light.

The autumnal equinox arrives tonight at 8:05 p.m. EDT, marking the astronomical beginning of fall in the Northern Hemisphere. At that precise moment, the Sun crosses the celestial equator heading south, beginning a season of shorter days, longer nights, cooler temperatures, and changing leaves.

What Is the Autumnal Equinox?

The word equinox comes from Latin words meaning “equal” and “night.” Around the equinox, day and night are close to equal in length across much of the world—although they aren’t exactly 12 hours each.

The September equinox occurs when the Sun crosses directly over Earth’s equator from north to south. From this point forward, the Northern Hemisphere receives progressively less daylight until the winter solstice on December 21, 2026.

Fall Begins Tonight

Although September 22 is the first day of astronomical fall, summer technically hangs on for most of today. The season officially changes at 8:05 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time—7:05 p.m. Central, 6:05 p.m. Mountain, and 5:05 p.m. Pacific.

Meteorologists use a slightly different calendar. Meteorological fall began September 1 and includes the months of September, October, and November. Astronomical seasons, however, are determined by Earth’s position in its orbit around the Sun.

Welcome, Fall!

For generations, the arrival of fall has signaled an important turning point in the year. Harvests come in, leaves begin their colorful transformation, migrating birds head south, animals prepare for winter, and the evenings grow noticeably earlier.

Over the coming weeks, pumpkins, crisp mornings, brilliant foliage, migrating wildlife, and the first frosts will begin appearing across more of the country.

So enjoy these first hours of the new season.

Happy first day of fall from the Farmers’ Almanac! What are you looking forward to most this autumn?

Green hillsides turn yellow. Maples blaze red and orange. Oaks deepen into bronze and burgundy.

And when that first cool night arrives, it’s tempting to give the cold all the credit.

But what temperature actually makes leaves change color?

The surprising answer is that there is no single temperature that flips the switch.

Cool weather helps create brilliant autumn colors, but one of the biggest signals comes from something you probably don’t notice nearly as much:

The nights are getting longer.

And if you’re wondering when the color will actually reach its peak where you live, see our 2026 Fall Foliage Peak Map.

What Temperature Makes Leaves Change Color?

There isn’t one exact temperature at which leaves begin changing color.

Instead, fall color is produced by a combination of:

• Shorter days
• Longer nights
• Cooler temperatures
• Sunlight
• Moisture
• Tree species
• Weather conditions during the growing season

For some of the brightest red and purple fall colors, cool nights below about 45°F—but still above freezing—can be especially favorable.

The U.S. Forest Service explains that warm, sunny days followed by cool nights below about 45°F favor brilliant red fall color.

But cold temperatures aren’t what actually start the entire process.

Shortening daylight is one of the primary signals telling deciduous trees that winter is coming.

The Real Trigger: Longer Nights

Trees can essentially tell that autumn is approaching because the amount of daylight changes.

As summer moves toward fall, days become shorter and nights become longer.

That change helps trigger a process called leaf senescence, when the tree begins shutting down its leaves and preparing for winter.

During spring and summer, leaves continuously produce chlorophyll—the green pigment that plays a central role in photosynthesis.

As nights lengthen and temperatures cool, chlorophyll production slows.

Eventually, the green begins to fade.

And that’s when fall’s hidden colors appear.

Iowa State University Extension explains the science behind fall color, noting that increasingly long nights signal plants to prepare for winter and chlorophyll production begins to decline.

The changing daylight becomes especially noticeable around the autumnal equinox and other major September seasonal events.

So although a chilly September night may seem to suddenly “turn” the leaves, the tree has already been responding to changing daylight for weeks.

Why Leaves Turn Yellow and Orange

Here’s something fascinating:

Much of the yellow and orange color you see in autumn leaves was already there all summer.

You just couldn’t see it.

Leaves contain pigments called carotenoids, which create yellow and orange colors.

During summer, those pigments are overwhelmed by the much stronger green color of chlorophyll.

Once the chlorophyll begins breaking down in autumn, the green disappears and those hidden yellows and oranges finally become visible.

The process is described in detail by University of Illinois Extension, which explains how carotenoids remain in leaves during the growing season but become visible as chlorophyll fades.

Think of it as removing a green curtain.

The autumn colors were waiting behind it.

This is why trees such as birches, aspens, hickories and some maples produce such spectacular yellow and golden foliage.

For another look at the pigments behind autumn’s display, see our Farmers’ Almanac guide to why leaves change color.

Red Leaves Are Different

Red and purple leaves have a slightly different story.

Many of those colors come from pigments called anthocyanins.

Unlike the yellow and orange carotenoids that are already present in leaves during summer, much of the anthocyanin responsible for brilliant autumn reds is produced in the leaf during late summer and fall.

And weather matters enormously.

Bright sunlight allows leaves to continue producing sugars during the day.

Then, when nights become cool, those sugars can become trapped in the leaves.

Some trees use those sugars to produce anthocyanins—which creates spectacular shades of:

• Scarlet
• Crimson
• Burgundy
• Purple
• Deep orange

That’s one reason sugar maples can sometimes look almost fluorescent red during a spectacular foliage year.

The Ideal Temperature for Brilliant Fall Color

If you wanted to design the perfect autumn foliage weather pattern, it might look something like this:

Warm, sunny days followed by clear, cool nights with temperatures below roughly 45°F—but above freezing.

Why?

During sunny days, leaves continue making sugars.

During cool nights, movement of those sugars out of the leaves slows.

That can encourage anthocyanin production.

The result?

Brighter reds and purples.

That’s also why the best foliage years depend on much more than one chilly night. Our 2026 Fall Foliage Forecast looks at rainfall, drought, summer stress and early-fall weather to assess this year’s prospects around the country.

You can also read our deeper explanation of what makes fall foliage especially bright in some years.

Can It Get Too Cold for Good Fall Color?

Yes.

This is where the old idea that frost “paints” the leaves becomes misleading.

Cool nights can help create beautiful color.

A hard freeze can do the opposite.

If freezing temperatures arrive too early, they can damage leaf tissue and interfere with the processes responsible for producing brilliant colors.

So when it comes to autumn color:

Cool is good.

Freezing isn’t necessarily better.

The perfect fall night is cold enough to slow things down—but not cold enough to damage the leaves.

Wondering when freezing temperatures typically arrive where you live? Check the Farmers’ Almanac 2026 First Frost Dates guide or look up your city’s average first frost date.

Why Some Years Have Better Fall Color Than Others

You’ve probably noticed this.

One autumn seems spectacular.

Every hillside looks like it’s on fire.

Then the next year arrives and the same trees seem to turn dull yellow or brown before dropping their leaves.

That’s because the weather leading up to fall matters too.

The best foliage generally develops when trees have had reasonably favorable growing conditions, followed by:

Sunny fall days + cool nights + adequate moisture.

Iowa State University Extension notes that weather strongly affects how much anthocyanin is produced and how intense fall color becomes.

There are plenty of ways Mother Nature can spoil the show.

Drought Can Make Leaves Change Early

Extended drought can stress trees.

When trees are severely stressed, they may begin shutting down leaves early to conserve resources.

Instead of slowly developing brilliant fall colors, leaves may:

• Curl
• Turn brown
• Drop early
• Produce muted color

That’s one reason a very dry summer can sometimes lead to a shorter or less impressive foliage season.

Healthy trees generally have a better opportunity to produce vibrant foliage than severely stressed trees.

Drought conditions are one of the factors we considered in our 2026 Fall Foliage Outlook.

Too Much Warm Weather Can Delay the Show

An unusually warm September or October can also affect fall color.

Remember: trees are responding to both day length and temperature.

Shortening days continue pushing trees toward dormancy, but consistently warm nights can slow some of the chemical changes associated with the brightest autumn colors.

That means a stretch of unusually warm fall weather can influence both the timing and intensity of the display—especially the brilliant reds and purples.

For a broader look at the temperatures and weather patterns expected this season, see our 2026 Fall Weather Forecast.

Rain Can Help—and Hurt

Trees need moisture throughout the growing season.

So adequate rainfall can help keep trees healthy heading into autumn.

But once peak foliage arrives, several days of heavy rain and wind aren’t exactly what leaf-peepers want.

As a leaf approaches the end of its life, a special layer of cells forms at the base of the leaf stem.

Wind and heavy rain can knock colorful leaves down before the show reaches its full potential.

University of Illinois Extension notes that windy, rainy fall weather can shorten the foliage display by knocking leaves down prematurely.

Once those leaves start piling up, you may also wonder what to do with them. Before grabbing the rake, read Should You Leave Fallen Leaves on Your Lawn?.

And if you’re trying to figure out when the trees will finally be bare, see our state-by-state guide to the final major leaf cleanup of fall.

Why One Side of a Tree Can Be Redder Than the Other

Here’s a fun thing to look for this fall.

Find a maple tree with one side exposed to bright sunshine and another side shaded by buildings or other trees.

You may notice the sunny side is more intensely red.

That’s not necessarily your imagination.

More sunlight can mean more sugar production inside the leaf.

More sugar can mean more anthocyanin production.

The U.S. Forest Service notes that leaves directly exposed to sunlight may turn red while shaded leaves on the same tree remain yellow.

In other words, a single tree can experience several different miniature environments.

Why Do Different Trees Turn Different Colors?

Weather doesn’t determine everything.

Genetics matter too.

Different tree species contain different pigments and have different abilities to produce anthocyanins.

That’s why certain trees tend to produce characteristic fall colors.

Red and Scarlet

Often seen in:

• Red maple
• Sugar maple
• Black gum
• Dogwood
• Sumac
• Some oaks

Yellow and Gold

Often seen in:

• Birch
• Aspen
• Hickory
• Ginkgo
• Honeylocust

Orange

Often seen in:

• Sugar maple
• Some oaks
• Sassafras

Bronze and Brown

Common among:

• Many oak species
• Beech

Of course, weather and individual genetics mean the exact color can vary from tree to tree—and even from year to year.

Does Elevation Affect Fall Color?

Absolutely.

If you’ve ever traveled through mountains during foliage season, you’ve probably noticed that autumn seems to move downhill.

Higher elevations generally experience cooler temperatures sooner than valleys below.

That can cause trees at higher elevations to begin changing earlier.

The result can be beautiful bands of color moving gradually down mountainsides over several weeks.

Latitude matters too.

Northern areas generally experience autumn conditions earlier than areas farther south.

That’s why foliage season typically progresses broadly from:

North to south

and

Higher elevations to lower elevations.

You can see that progression clearly on our 2026 U.S. Fall Foliage Peak Map, which follows peak color from northern and high-elevation areas in late September through parts of the South in November.

Why Do Leaves Eventually Fall Off?

Changing color is only one part of the tree’s preparation for winter.

As autumn progresses, the tree begins forming a special layer of cells where the leaf stem meets the branch.

This is called the abscission layer.

Eventually, the connection becomes weak enough that wind—or simply gravity—causes the leaf to fall.

The tree then seals the spot where the leaf had been attached.

Dropping leaves helps deciduous trees conserve resources during winter when freezing temperatures and limited water would make maintaining a full canopy difficult.

The University of Illinois Extension’s fall-color guide explains how this abscission layer gradually separates the leaf from the tree as senescence progresses.

So What Temperature Makes Leaves Change Color?

Here’s the simplest answer:

There isn’t one magic temperature.

Shortening daylight helps initiate the process.

But cool autumn weather influences how quickly leaves change and how brilliant those colors become.

For especially vivid foliage, one of the best combinations is:

Warm, sunny days

Cool nights below about 45°F

Temperatures that remain above freezing

Adequate moisture during the growing season

Relatively calm weather during peak foliage

That’s the recipe for those spectacular autumns people remember.

Does Frost Make Leaves Change Color?

Not exactly.

Frost has been credited with painting fall leaves for generations, but the real process begins long before the first frost.

Shortening daylight, cooler temperatures and changes inside the tree cause chlorophyll to disappear and other pigments to become visible.

A light frost may occur during foliage season without causing major damage.

But a hard freeze that arrives too early can damage leaves and bring the color show to an abrupt end.

If you’re tracking when that first cold snap may arrive, our First Frost Dates for 2026 can help.

When Will the Leaves Start Changing Near You?

Watch three things:

The calendar.
As September progresses, nights become longer.

The thermometer.
Once nighttime temperatures regularly become cooler—especially when they fall into the 40s—conditions can become increasingly favorable for vivid autumn color.

The weather.
Sunny days followed by cool—but not freezing—nights can help create especially vivid reds and purples.

Then look toward the trees.

The first changes may be subtle: a red branch near the top of a maple, a yellow edge on a birch leaf, or a patch of orange on an otherwise green hillside.

Soon, entire forests begin changing.

Want to know when your area should reach its best color? Check the Farmers’ Almanac 2026 Fall Foliage Peak Map and our 2026 Fall Foliage Forecast.

Although cold weather deserves some of the credit, autumn’s great transformation is really the result of light, temperature, moisture, chemistry and the remarkable internal clock of the trees themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

What temperature makes leaves change color?

There is no single temperature that causes leaves to change. Shortening days help trigger the process, while cool nights—particularly temperatures below about 45°F but above freezing—can encourage brilliant fall colors.

Do leaves change because it gets cold?

Partly. Cooler temperatures influence fall color, but shorter daylight is also an important signal telling trees to prepare for winter.

Does frost make leaves turn colors?

Frost isn’t required for leaves to change color. In fact, an early hard freeze can damage leaves and shorten or dull the fall-color display.

What weather creates the best fall foliage?

Warm, sunny days followed by cool, relatively dry nights generally create excellent conditions for bright fall colors, particularly reds and purples.

Why are fall leaves brighter some years?

Fall color depends on several factors, including sunlight, nighttime temperatures, rainfall, drought, tree health and weather during the growing season.

Why do some trees turn red while others turn yellow?

Different tree species contain and produce different pigments. Yellow and orange colors generally come from carotenoids already present in the leaf, while many reds and purples result from anthocyanins produced during late summer and fall.

When will fall colors peak near me?

Peak foliage generally progresses from northern areas and higher elevations toward southern regions and lower elevations as autumn advances. See the Farmers’ Almanac 2026 Fall Foliage Peak Map for regional timing.

No buzzing around your ears. No slapping your ankles. No rushing inside at dusk.

But what actually happened to them?

Many people assume the first chilly night kills off the mosquitoes for the year. The real answer is more complicated—and mosquitoes are much better at surviving winter than you might think.

What Temperature Do Mosquitoes Die?

There is no single temperature at which all mosquitoes suddenly die.

However, around 50°F is an important dividing line.

Mosquitoes are cold-blooded insects, meaning their body temperature and activity are heavily influenced by the temperature around them. Mississippi State University Extension notes that mosquitoes are most active when temperatures are above 50°F. Once temperatures repeatedly fall below that level, mosquito activity generally drops sharply.

That gives us a useful rule of thumb:

• Above 60°F: Mosquitoes can still be quite active.
• 50–60°F: Activity generally begins slowing down.
• Below about 50°F: Most mosquitoes become increasingly sluggish and much less likely to bite.
• Near or below freezing: Many exposed adult mosquitoes will die, especially after a sustained freeze.

But even a freezing night does not mean every mosquito in your area is dead.

Some are simply waiting for spring.

The Magic Number Is About 50°F

If you’re wondering, “When will the mosquitoes finally stop biting?”, watch your nighttime temperatures.

A single cool evening in the 40s can dramatically reduce mosquito activity, but mosquitoes may return when temperatures rebound.

That’s why you can have a frosty-feeling October morning followed by mosquitoes buzzing around the yard three days later when temperatures climb back into the 60s.

The real seasonal change tends to happen when temperatures are consistently cool, especially when nighttime lows repeatedly fall into the 40s and below.

In northern parts of the country, that may happen in September or October. Farther south, mosquito season can stretch much later—and in the warmest parts of the United States mosquitoes can remain active through much or even all of the winter.

The CDC notes that mosquito season generally extends from summer into fall across much of the country, while southern states can experience a considerably longer season.

Does the First Frost Kill Mosquitoes?

A light frost can greatly reduce mosquito activity, but it doesn’t necessarily end mosquito season.

A more substantial or prolonged freeze kills many adult mosquitoes that are exposed to it.

That’s why the first hard frost or freeze is often considered the unofficial end of mosquito season in colder climates.

New York health officials, for example, advise that mosquitoes may remain active into late fall and have previously cautioned residents that mosquitoes can remain active until the first heavy frost.

Still, don’t assume one cold night means they’re gone for good.

A warm spell following a frost can sometimes produce another burst of mosquito activity.

So Where Do Mosquitoes Go During the Winter?

Here is where things get interesting.

If freezing temperatures killed every mosquito and every mosquito egg, there wouldn’t be many mosquitoes left the following spring.

Different mosquito species have developed several ways to survive the cold.

Some Mosquitoes Survive Winter as Eggs

Certain species lay exceptionally hardy eggs before winter arrives.

The adult mosquitoes may die, but their eggs remain dormant until warmer weather and water return.

Some Aedes mosquito eggs can survive drying for months. The CDC notes that Aedes eggs can remain viable after drying out for up to eight months, helping the next generation survive unfavorable conditions.

Come spring, rain fills containers, tree holes, puddles and other depressions.

The eggs hatch.

And mosquito season begins again.

Some Adult Mosquitoes Hibernate

Other mosquitoes use a completely different strategy.

Adult females find protected places and enter a dormant state for the winter.

They may shelter in places such as:

• Sheds
• Garages
• Culverts
• Hollow logs
• Caves
• Basements
• Crawl spaces
• Other protected structures

The CDC notes that some mosquitoes seek sheltered locations as temperatures fall and can survive the winter in enclosed spaces.

Purdue University Extension also notes that some species overwinter as dormant, mated adult females, while others survive as dormant eggs.

So although mosquitoes seem to disappear, some are quite literally hiding out until spring.

Can Mosquitoes Come Back During a Warm Fall Day?

Absolutely.

Anyone who has enjoyed an unusually warm October afternoon knows the feeling.

You thought mosquito season was over.

Then—buzz.

Because mosquitoes depend heavily on outside temperature, an extended warm spell can temporarily wake up or increase the activity of mosquitoes that remain alive.

That’s why mosquito season does not usually end on one specific calendar date.

It ends gradually as cold weather becomes persistent.

When Do Mosquitoes Usually Disappear?

The timing varies enormously depending on where you live.

Northern United States

Mosquito numbers typically decline sharply during September and October as nights become colder. The first significant freezes usually bring the season close to an end.

Mid-Atlantic and Midwest

Mosquitoes can remain active well into fall, especially during warm, wet years. Several warm days in October can still produce noticeable mosquito activity.

Southeast

Mosquito season can continue through much of autumn and sometimes into winter.

Florida, Gulf Coast and Other Very Warm Areas

There may never be a true mosquito-free season.

Warm temperatures allow some mosquito populations to remain active during much of the year.

Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Fall Mosquitoes

Cooler weather doesn’t automatically mean mosquito-borne illness is no longer a concern.

Penn State Extension warns that mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases including West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) may remain a concern into the fall when temperatures remain warm enough for mosquitoes to be active.

In other words, don’t put away the insect repellent just because the calendar says September or October.

If mosquitoes are still flying and biting, precautions still make sense.

Fall Is a Great Time to Reduce Next Year’s Mosquitoes

Once mosquito activity starts slowing down, take a walk around your property.

Look for anything capable of holding water.

That includes:

• Flowerpot saucers
• Buckets
• Children’s toys
• Wheelbarrows
• Birdbaths
• Clogged gutters
• Tarps
• Pool covers
• Old tires
• Trash-can lids

Mosquitoes don’t need a pond to reproduce. Even relatively small amounts of standing water can become breeding habitat.

New York State’s Department of Health recommends removing or draining standing water and keeping gutters, containers, pools and other potential breeding areas maintained to reduce mosquito populations around the home.

Cleaning these areas in fall can reduce potential mosquito habitat around your yard.

So, What Temperature Makes Mosquitoes Go Away?

Here’s the easiest way to remember it:

Around 50°F, mosquitoes begin becoming much less active.

Repeated temperatures in the 40s reduce activity even more.

And a hard freeze around 32°F or below will kill many exposed adult mosquitoes and generally brings mosquito season to an end in colder parts of the country.

But winter doesn’t wipe mosquitoes off the map.

Some survive as eggs.

Some survive as larvae.

And some adult females simply find a protected hiding place and wait.

Then, when warm weather and standing water return in spring, the whole cycle begins again.

So the first morning you walk outside without hearing that familiar high-pitched whine, enjoy it.

Mosquito season may finally be over—but they’re already prepared for next year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do mosquitoes die when temperatures drop below 50°F?

Not necessarily. Around 50°F is better thought of as an activity threshold rather than an instant death temperature. Many mosquitoes become sluggish at cooler temperatures but can survive and become active again during a warm spell.

Does frost kill mosquitoes?

Frost and freezing temperatures kill many exposed adult mosquitoes, but not every mosquito species or life stage. Some survive winter as dormant eggs or adults in protected locations.

Can mosquitoes survive freezing temperatures?

Yes. Depending on the species, mosquitoes can survive winter as cold-tolerant eggs, larvae or dormant adult females.

Can mosquitoes bite in October?

Definitely. If October remains warm enough, mosquitoes can continue flying and biting. In warmer parts of the country, mosquitoes may remain active far beyond October.

When is mosquito season officially over?

There is no universal date. In colder climates, persistent cold weather and the first substantial freeze usually mark the end of meaningful mosquito activity. In warm climates, mosquito activity can continue throughout much of the year.

You may already know your birthstone, birth flower, or zodiac sign. But what about your Birth Plant?

Farmers’ Almanac has created a 2026 Birth Plant Calendar, giving every day of the year its own flower, tree, herb, vegetable, fruit, houseplant, or other remarkable member of the plant kingdom.

Simply find your birthday below to discover your Birth Plant.

Then look up your spouse. Your children. Your parents. Your grandparents. Your best friend.

You might discover that you’re a Sugar Maple married to a Dahlia—or that your family includes a Sunflower, Pumpkin, Giant Sequoia, Red Rose, Apple Tree, and Poinsettia.

365 days. 365 Birth Plants. Which one is yours?

What Is a Birth Plant?

A Birth Plant is the plant associated with the calendar date of your birthday in the Farmers’ Almanac Birth Plant Calendar.

Rather than assigning only one flower to an entire month, we’ve given each day of the year its own plant.

The calendar includes flowers, trees, shrubs, fruits, vegetables, herbs, wildflowers, grasses, evergreens, vines, houseplants, and garden favorites.

The plants follow the natural rhythm of the year.

Winter dates feature evergreens, houseplants, and cold-weather bloomers. Spring brings bulbs, flowering trees, vegetables, and woodland wildflowers. Summer is filled with garden flowers, pollinator plants, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Autumn belongs to asters, grasses, apples, pumpkins, brilliant foliage, berries, and plants associated with the harvest.

We also couldn’t resist matching a few dates with plants that seem made for them:

• February 14: Red Rose
• March 17: Shamrock
• April 22: Giant Sequoia
• May 1: Lily of the Valley
• July 4: American Elm
• September 22: Sugar Maple
• October 31: Pumpkin
• November 26: Cranberry
• December 25: Poinsettia

The Farmers’ Almanac Birth Plant Calendar is meant for fun, gardening inspiration, and appreciation of the natural world. It isn’t an astrological system or a scientific way to determine someone’s personality.

And it is different from the traditional birth flowers associated with each month.

How Do I Find My Birth Plant?

It’s easy.

Find your birth month below, locate the day you were born, and the plant beside that date is your Farmers’ Almanac Birth Plant.

For example:

Born February 14? You’re a Red Rose.

Born March 17? You’re a Shamrock.

Born July 4? You’re an American Elm.

Born October 31? You’re a Pumpkin.

Born December 25? You’re a Poinsettia.

Ready?

Find your birthday below.

2026 Birth Plant Calendar

January 2026 Birth Plants

February 2026 Birth Plants

March 2026 Birth Plants

April 2026 Birth Plants

May 2026 Birth Plants

June 2026 Birth Plants

July 2026 Birth Plants

August 2026 Birth Plants

September 2026 Birth Plants

October 2026 Birth Plants

November 2026 Birth Plants

December 2026 Birth Plants

What Is Your Birth Plant?

Now you’ve found your Birth Plant—but that’s only half the fun.

Look up everyone else.

What’s your spouse’s Birth Plant?

What did your children get?

What about your parents, grandparents, siblings, or best friends?

Does your family have a towering Giant Sequoia? A delicate Snowdrop? A stubborn Horseradish? A cheerful Sunflower? A spicy Jalapeño? Or perhaps somebody was lucky enough to land the Pumpkin on Halloween.

And here’s the question that may start a family debate:

Who has the best Birth Plant?

Share this calendar with your friends and family and ask:

What’s your Birth Plant?

Birth Plant Frequently Asked Questions

What is my Birth Plant?

Your Farmers’ Almanac Birth Plant is determined by the month and day of your birthday.

Find your birthday in the calendar above and the plant beside that date is your Birth Plant.

For example, February 14 is the Red Rose, March 17 is the Shamrock, July 4 is the American Elm, October 31 is the Pumpkin, and December 25 is the Poinsettia.

Is a Birth Plant the Same as a Birth Flower?

Not quite.

Traditional birth-flower lists generally associate one or more flowers with an entire month.

The Farmers’ Almanac Birth Plant Calendar goes much further by assigning a different plant to each individual day of the year.

And they’re not all flowers.

Your Birth Plant might be an oak, herb, vegetable, fruit tree, houseplant, evergreen, wildflower, vine, shrub, or garden favorite.

What Does My Birth Plant Mean?

The Farmers’ Almanac Birth Plant Calendar celebrates plants, gardening, folklore, agriculture, and the changing seasons.

It isn’t intended to predict your personality or future.

That said, we won’t stop you from deciding that the person born under the mighty Giant Sequoia is unusually strong—or that the person who got the Jalapeño tends to make life a little more interesting.

That’s part of the fun.

Does Everyone Born on the Same Date Have the Same Birth Plant?

Yes.

Everyone who shares the same month and day shares the same Farmers’ Almanac Birth Plant.

So someone born on October 31 is a Pumpkin regardless of whether they were born in 1960, 1990, or 2026.

Why Is It Called the 2026 Birth Plant Calendar?

There are 365 days in 2026, so the 2026 calendar contains 365 Birth Plants.

The month-and-day assignments can also be used to look up birthdays from other years.

Leap years have one extra birthday to consider.

What Is the February 29 Birth Plant?

We couldn’t leave Leap Day babies out.

February 29’s special Birth Plant is the Four-Leaf Clover.

Rare date. Rare clover.

That seems appropriate.

How Were the Birth Plants Chosen?

We followed the seasons.

Many plants appear near the time of year when Americans associate them with blooming, planting, harvesting, fall color, winter greenery, or other seasonal changes.

Spring brings bulbs, blossoms, garden vegetables, and flowering trees.

Summer is filled with flowers, herbs, pollinator plants, fruits, and heat-loving vegetables.

September begins the transition toward grasses, berries, and fall foliage.

October celebrates America’s spectacular deciduous trees before ending, naturally, with the Pumpkin.

November turns toward the harvest, hardy vegetables, cover crops, cranberries, and evergreens.

December belongs to firs, winter berries, holiday greenery, and plants that brighten the darkest days of the year.

A handful of calendar dates inspired especially fitting matches, too.

Valentine’s Day gets the Red Rose.

St. Patrick’s Day gets the Shamrock.

Earth Day gets the Giant Sequoia.

Halloween gets the Pumpkin.

Thanksgiving Day 2026 gets the Cranberry.

Christmas Day gets the Poinsettia.

Can I Grow My Birth Plant?

Maybe!

Some Birth Plants are among the easiest plants you can grow. Others need very specific climates or growing conditions.

A Basil, Tomato, Marigold, Radish, or Sunflower has plenty of options.

A Giant Sequoia is going to require considerably more planning.

Before planting, check whether your Birth Plant is suitable for your climate, soil, available sunlight, and USDA Plant Hardiness Zone.

If it isn’t practical to grow outside where you live, you can always grow an appropriate relative, find it at a botanical garden, or simply learn more about the plant attached to your birthday.

365 Days. 365 Plants.

Plants have marked the seasons for as long as people have planted gardens, gathered harvests, watched trees change color, and waited for the first flowers of spring.

Some feed us.

Some shade us.

Some fill our gardens with fragrance.

Some attract bees, butterflies, and birds.

Some have been connected with holidays and folklore for generations.

And some simply make the world more beautiful.

Now one of them belongs to your birthday.

365 days. 365 Birth Plants.

Find your birthday. Look up your family. Discover your Birth Plant.

If you live in parts of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, or increasingly the Midwest and Southeast, you’ve probably seen them.

Gray wings covered with black spots. A flash of brilliant red when they jump. Hundreds clustered around a tree trunk. Sticky residue on patios, decks, cars, and plants.

The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) has become one of the most recognizable invasive insects in America.

And it is still spreading.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, established spotted lanternfly populations have now been reported in 19 states and Washington, D.C. See the USDA’s current spotted lanternfly information and distribution

But this insect wasn’t always here.

In fact, the story of the spotted lanternfly in America begins thousands of miles away—and probably with something as small as a cluster of eggs hidden on imported goods.

What Is a Spotted Lanternfly?

First, an important clarification:

A spotted lanternfly isn’t actually a fly.

It is a type of planthopper, an insect related to cicadas and aphids that feeds by piercing plants and sucking sap.

Adult spotted lanternflies are about an inch long. Their folded outer wings are grayish-tan with black spots, which provides surprisingly effective camouflage against tree bark.

When they open their wings, however, they reveal dramatic patches of red, black, and white.

Young spotted lanternflies look completely different. Early nymphs are black with white spots; later nymphs develop bright red coloring before becoming adults.

If you’re trying to determine whether the insect in your yard is actually a lanternfly, see our complete Spotted Lanternfly identification and control guide. See the Farmers’ Almanac Spotted Lanternfly Guide

Spotted lanternflies do not bite or sting people or pets.

Their problem is what they do to plants.

What Do Spotted Lanternflies Eat?

Spotted lanternflies feed on the sap of many different plants.

Their favorite host is another invasive species: tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima).

They also feed on grapevines, maples, black walnut, willow, fruit trees, hops, and numerous ornamental and hardwood species.

Grapevines are particularly vulnerable. Large infestations can weaken vines and cause significant problems for vineyards.

As lanternflies feed, they release a sugary liquid called honeydew.

That sticky honeydew can coat:

• Decks and patios
• Cars and outdoor furniture
• Leaves and branches
• Sidewalks and driveways
• Anything located beneath an infested tree

Honeydew also encourages the growth of a dark fungus known as sooty mold and attracts ants, wasps, bees, and other insects.

For more advice on dealing with insects and other unwanted garden visitors, see our Natural Garden Pest Control Guide. Read our Farmers’ Almanac Garden Pest Control Guide

Where Did Spotted Lanternflies Come From?

Spotted lanternflies are native to Asia, with their original range centered largely in China and neighboring parts of Asia.

They later became invasive in South Korea and Japan.

Genetic research into the lanternflies now living in the United States provides an intriguing clue about how the American invasion happened.

Studies of spotted lanternfly DNA indicate that the American population appears to have originated from a single introduction associated with South Korea, although the insect’s deeper ancestral origins trace back to China.

In other words, the lanternfly appears to have made its way from China into other parts of Asia before one population eventually reached the United States.

But it certainly didn’t fly across the Pacific Ocean.

People unknowingly carried it here.

How Did Spotted Lanternflies Get to the United States?

The first known U.S. spotted lanternfly infestation was discovered in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 2014.

The USDA says the pest likely arrived on goods shipped from overseas.

Investigators have long suspected that egg masses may have entered Pennsylvania attached to imported materials such as stone.

And once you see a spotted lanternfly egg mass, it becomes easy to understand how that could happen.

The females don’t just lay eggs on trees.

They will lay them on almost any hard outdoor surface, including:

Stone, bricks, vehicles, trailers, campers, firewood, patio furniture, grills, bicycles, lawn equipment, pallets, railroad cars, and building materials.

The eggs are then covered with a grayish material.

Fresh egg masses can resemble wet putty.

As they age, they may look like nothing more than a smear of dried mud.

Each egg mass commonly contains around 30 to 50 eggs.

That makes lanternfly eggs very easy to transport without anyone realizing they’re there.

How Are Spotted Lanternflies Spreading So Quickly?

Spotted lanternflies can jump and fly short distances.

But humans are responsible for much of their long-distance spread.

Penn State notes that the continuing expansion of spotted lanternflies is caused by a combination of natural dispersal and accidental human transportation, particularly along highways and rail corridors.

Imagine this:

A camper sits beneath an infested tree during October.

A female spotted lanternfly lays an egg mass underneath it.

The family drives the camper 300 miles away during winter.

Spring arrives.

Dozens of lanternflies hatch in a community that may never have had them before.

The same thing can happen with trailers, trucks, firewood, landscaping materials, patio furniture, equipment, and vehicles.

That’s why one of the most important spotted lanternfly rules is remarkably simple:

Don’t give them a ride.

Where Are Spotted Lanternflies in the United States?

As of 2026, the USDA reports spotted lanternfly populations in 19 states and Washington, D.C.

They have been reported in Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

That does not mean every part of every state is heavily infested.

Some states contain relatively localized populations, while lanternflies have become common across much larger areas of other states.

Several states maintain spotted lanternfly quarantine areas designed to reduce accidental transportation into new regions.

For the most current distribution information, check the USDA’s national spotted lanternfly page. See the current USDA Spotted Lanternfly status

Why Are Spotted Lanternflies Bad?

Early reports about spotted lanternflies sometimes gave the impression that these insects would kill nearly every tree they encountered.

The reality is more complicated.

Spotted lanternflies can be a serious agricultural pest—particularly for grapes and vineyards—and large infestations place significant stress on plants.

However, Penn State researchers emphasize that spotted lanternfly is generally a plant stressor, and the insect by itself does not necessarily kill a healthy mature landscape tree.

For homeowners, one of the biggest problems is often the sheer size of an infestation.

Hundreds or thousands of lanternflies can gather on trees and buildings.

Their honeydew can cover decks and lawn furniture.

Sooty mold can blacken surfaces.

Wasps may gather around the sugary deposits.

And during peak infestations, spending time outside can become downright unpleasant.

Agriculturally, however, the concern is more serious.

Grapes are among the crops most vulnerable to heavy spotted lanternfly feeding, which is why vineyards have been a major focus of monitoring and control programs.

What Is the Government Doing About Spotted Lanternflies?

The strategy has evolved.

When lanternflies were confined to a relatively small area of Pennsylvania, completely eliminating them seemed considerably more realistic.

Now that populations are established across numerous states, the national strategy increasingly focuses on:

Slowing the insect’s spread, detecting new infestations early, protecting vulnerable agricultural areas, preventing accidental transportation, improving control methods, and supporting research into long-term biological controls.

The USDA’s Spotted Lanternfly Five-Year Strategy for fiscal years 2024–2028 has three primary goals: limiting the continued advance of the insect, supporting research into management and risk reduction, and coordinating public and industry education. Read the USDA Spotted Lanternfly Five-Year Strategy

Federal and state agencies are using combinations of:

Quarantines, roadside and railroad monitoring, trapping, insecticide treatments, public reporting programs, agricultural management, egg-mass destruction, and inspections of vehicles and goods leaving infested regions.

But researchers are also pursuing something potentially much more powerful.

Could a Tiny Wasp Eventually Control Spotted Lanternflies?

This may become one of the most important developments in the fight against lanternflies.

When an invasive species arrives in a new country, it often leaves many of its natural predators and parasites behind.

Without those natural controls, its population can explode.

Scientists have therefore searched the lanternfly’s native range for insects that naturally prey upon it.

One promising candidate is a tiny parasitoid wasp called Dryinus sinicus.

This wasp attacks young spotted lanternfly nymphs.

USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists published new research in 2026 describing Dryinus sinicus as a promising potential biological-control agent for spotted lanternflies. Read about USDA research into Dryinus sinicus

However, scientists can’t simply release a foreign wasp into the American environment.

Researchers must first determine whether it could harm native insects.

USDA scientists are conducting host-specificity testing and evaluating methods for raising the wasps in large numbers before any potential release is considered.

That caution is important.

Introducing one problem species to control another without understanding the ecological consequences could create an entirely new invasive-species problem.

How Can You Help Stop the Spread of Spotted Lanternflies?

Ordinary homeowners can play an unusually important role in slowing this invasive pest.

1. Check Your Car Before Traveling

If you live in or visit an infested area, inspect your vehicle before leaving.

Look around:

Wheel wells, bumpers, roof racks, truck beds, trailers, campers, bicycles, boats, and anything stored outdoors.

Adults and nymphs can hitchhike during warm weather, while egg masses can travel during fall and winter.

2. Don’t Move Firewood

Moving firewood is one of the easiest ways to transport invasive insects and their eggs.

A good rule is:

Buy it where you burn it.

3. Look for Spotted Lanternfly Egg Masses

Late fall through early spring is an excellent time to search for eggs.

Look for gray or brown patches resembling dried mud on:

Trees, stones, deck furniture, sheds, grills, trailers, vehicles, fences, and outdoor equipment.

Penn State’s updated 2026 guidance says an egg mass averages roughly 30 to 50 eggs. See Penn State’s Spotted Lanternfly Egg Mass Guide

4. Destroy Egg Masses You Can Safely Reach

Egg masses can be thoroughly crushed or scraped into a container containing rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer.

Don’t simply scrape them onto the ground and assume they’re dead.

And don’t climb a tree to reach them.

Penn State researchers found that on the mature test trees they studied, less than 2% of lanternfly egg masses were within about 10 feet of the ground. Most were higher in the canopy.

Destroy what you can safely reach.

5. Consider a Circle Trap

Lanternfly nymphs frequently crawl up tree trunks.

A circle trap uses screening wrapped around the trunk to funnel climbing lanternflies into a collection container.

Cornell Integrated Pest Management recommends traps as one tool for reducing lanternfly numbers. See Cornell’s Spotted Lanternfly Management Guide

Sticky bands can also catch lanternflies, but uncovered sticky material can accidentally trap birds, butterflies, bats, and other wildlife. If sticky bands are used, they should be protected with an appropriate wildlife barrier.

6. Learn to Recognize Tree-of-Heaven

Spotted lanternflies are especially attracted to tree-of-heaven.

But don’t simply cut one down.

Tree-of-heaven has an aggressive root system. Cutting the trunk alone can stimulate the roots to send up numerous new shoots, potentially turning one tree into an entire thicket.

Proper control usually involves treating the root system and following local Cooperative Extension recommendations.

7. Report Lanternflies in New Areas

If spotted lanternflies are already common throughout your area, officials may no longer need reports of every insect.

But finding one far beyond the known established range can be extremely important.

Take a photograph, record the location, and contact your state agriculture department or use the USDA’s reporting resources. Report or identify a spotted lanternfly through USDA resources

Early detection gives officials a much better chance of containing an isolated infestation.

Should You Kill Spotted Lanternflies?

When practical, yes—particularly where the population is new.

But smashing individual adults isn’t going to eliminate a large established infestation.

Think about the numbers.

One female can produce multiple egg masses, each containing dozens of eggs.

Killing a few adults helps.

Destroying an egg mass helps.

But preventing an egg-covered trailer from traveling 300 miles may help far more.

The overall goal is not simply to kill as many lanternflies as possible.

It is to slow their spread into places they haven’t reached yet.

Do Home Remedies Kill Spotted Lanternflies?

You’ll find plenty of homemade lanternfly sprays online involving dish soap, vinegar, salt, essential oils, and other household ingredients.

Use caution.

Products that haven’t been designed or labeled for use on plants can damage leaves, kill beneficial insects, or cause other unintended problems.

For established garden pests, the best approach is usually integrated pest management: correctly identify the pest first, use mechanical controls when possible, protect beneficial insects, and use properly labeled pesticides only when needed.

That’s the same general philosophy behind our Farmers’ Almanac guide to combating garden pests naturally. See 22 Ways to Combat Garden Pests Naturally

Penn State’s 2026 professional guidance makes another important distinction:

Killing individual spotted lanternflies with insecticides can be relatively easy.

Managing an established infestation is much harder.

Will Cold Winter Weather Kill Spotted Lanternflies?

Adult spotted lanternflies die as winter arrives.

Unfortunately, the next generation is already waiting.

Spotted lanternflies overwinter as eggs.

Females generally lay egg masses during fall. Those eggs remain attached to trees, stones, vehicles, and other surfaces throughout winter before hatching in spring.

So a bitterly cold winter doesn’t necessarily mean the lanternfly problem is over.

In fact, winter can be one of the best times for homeowners to fight back.

With leaves off the trees and the adults gone, egg masses are easier to spot and cannot jump or fly away.

Do Spotted Lanternfly Populations Eventually Decline?

Here’s a bit of encouraging news.

Areas that experience enormous lanternfly infestations don’t necessarily remain that way forever.

Populations in some of the longest-infested portions of Pennsylvania have declined sharply after initially exploding, although numbers can fluctuate again in later years.

Scientists are studying why.

Possible factors include food availability, weather, predators, diseases, plant health, population density, and other natural controls.

That doesn’t mean spotted lanternflies disappear completely.

But today’s overwhelming infestation may not remain overwhelming forever.

Can We Ever Eradicate Spotted Lanternflies From the United States?

Complete nationwide eradication now appears extremely difficult.

The insect has simply spread too far.

With established populations reported in 19 states and Washington, D.C., locating and destroying every spotted lanternfly and every hidden egg mass would be an enormous undertaking.

That’s why the national approach has shifted toward containment, management, research, and slowing the spread rather than assuming every established population can be eliminated.

But that doesn’t mean we’ve lost the fight.

Consider the difference between an insect reaching a major grape-growing region next year versus 10 or 20 years from now.

Every year its spread can be delayed gives farmers more time to prepare.

It gives scientists more time to develop better control methods.

It gives researchers more time to investigate biological controls such as Dryinus sinicus.

And isolated new infestations may still be small enough to contain.

Eradication everywhere may no longer be realistic. Preventing the next invasion still is.

The Most Important Thing You Can Do

The spotted lanternfly invasion demonstrates how easily invasive species can travel in today’s interconnected world.

It probably began in America with something almost invisible:

A few egg masses attached to imported goods.

Those insects multiplied.

Then cars, trucks, trains, campers, trailers, firewood, landscaping materials, and ordinary human travel helped carry their descendants farther.

More than a decade later, lanternflies have established themselves across a large part of the eastern United States.

There may never be one simple cure.

Instead, controlling spotted lanternflies will require a combination of quarantines, inspections, public reporting, trapping, agricultural management, scientific research, biological controls, and homeowners checking what they’re carrying before they travel.

So this fall, take an extra look at your patio furniture.

Check the camper before putting it away.

Inspect the trailer before taking a long trip.

And if you notice what looks like a little patch of dried mud where it shouldn’t be, take a closer look.

It could contain dozens of next spring’s spotted lanternflies.

And stopping those lanternflies before they travel may be far more important than stepping on the adults already hopping around your yard.

Have spotted lanternflies reached your area yet? Tell us where you’re seeing them in the comments.

A good fall garden cleanup doesn’t have to mean stripping every bed bare. The goal is to remove potential problems, protect your soil, add organic matter, and decide which cold-hardy vegetables can stay right where they are.

Before you start, check your Farmers’ Almanac 2026 First Frost Dates for your area. Your first frost is a useful signal that the garden season is changing, although gardeners in warmer climates may have several more weeks—or even months—before the soil actually freezes.

Here are five things to do to prepare your vegetable garden for winter before the ground freezes.

1. Remove Dead, Diseased, and Spent Vegetable Plants

Start with the plants that are clearly finished for the year.

Once frost has killed your tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, cucumbers, and other tender vegetables, pull or cut back the dead plants.

Healthy plant material can generally go into a well-managed compost pile. But be more careful with plants that showed signs of disease during the growing season.

Tomato vines affected by serious fungal or bacterial disease, badly infected squash leaves, and other questionable plant debris may be better removed from the vegetable garden rather than left lying on the soil.

Why?

Old plant debris can sometimes provide overwintering sites for garden pests and can harbor pathogens that could become a problem again next season.

Pay particular attention to:

• Tomato vines and fallen tomatoes
• Squash and cucumber vines
• Bean plants
• Corn stalks
• Diseased leaves
• Rotting vegetables
• Weeds with mature seed heads

That doesn’t mean your entire yard needs to be spotless. Leaves, stems, and seed heads elsewhere in the landscape can provide valuable winter habitat for insects and wildlife.

In the vegetable garden, however, removing diseased and heavily infested material is a sensible first step toward a healthier spring.

If your garden is still producing, don’t pull everything yet. Many cool-season vegetables can survive temperatures that would quickly kill tomatoes and peppers. See our guide to planting and growing a fall vegetable garden to learn which vegetables tolerate colder weather.

2. Pull Weeds Now—Before They Become Next Year’s Problem

Here’s one fall garden chore that can pay off handsomely:

Pull the weeds before winter.

A weed that is already producing seeds isn’t just one weed anymore. Those seeds can fall into your garden soil and create a whole new generation of weeds next year.

Fall is an especially good time to tackle perennial weeds such as:

• Bindweed
• Canada thistle
• Dandelions
• Quackgrass
• Nutsedge

Try to remove as much of the root system as possible while the soil is still workable.

Also collect weeds that have formed seed heads rather than simply knocking them onto the soil.

Should You Leave Some Garden Plants Standing?

Yes.

There’s an important distinction between cleaning up a vegetable bed and making your entire property unnaturally tidy.

Healthy flowers and ornamental plant stems can provide winter shelter for beneficial insects, while seed heads can feed birds.

The vegetable garden deserves a somewhat more selective cleanup because you’re preparing the same ground to grow food again next year.

Think strategic cleanup, not scorched earth.

3. Add Compost to Your Vegetable Garden in Fall

After a summer of tomatoes, squash, beans, cucumbers, and other hungry crops, your soil deserves some attention.

Fall is an excellent time to add finished compost to empty vegetable beds.

Spread a layer over the soil after removing weeds and spent crops. You can either gently work it into the upper soil or leave much of it on the surface and allow weather, earthworms, and soil organisms to begin incorporating it naturally.

Adding organic matter can improve:

• Soil structure
• Water-holding capacity
• Drainage
• Biological activity
• Nutrient availability

The USDA defines compost as the product of a managed decomposition process in which microorganisms break down plant and animal materials into forms that can be used in soil.

Don’t Assume More Fertilizer Is Always Better

Fall is also a good opportunity to have your soil tested.

If you’ve been adding compost, manure, lime, or fertilizer every year without testing, you may already have plenty of certain nutrients.

A soil test can help determine what your garden actually needs instead of treating every bed the same way.

And be cautious with fresh manure in a vegetable garden. Properly finished compost and appropriately handled aged manure are generally much easier to manage around food crops.

4. Don’t Leave Your Garden Soil Bare All Winter

Once the beds are cleaned up, don’t stop there.

Cover the soil.

Bare soil is exposed to pounding rain, melting snow, winter winds, temperature swings, erosion, and weed growth.

The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service recommends maintaining soil cover as an important soil-health practice because cover crops, mulch, and plant residue can protect soil from erosion while helping maintain soil structure and water infiltration.

For a backyard vegetable garden, your winter covering could be as simple as:

• Shredded autumn leaves
• Clean straw
• Finished compost
• Leaf mold
• Untreated grass clippings
• A winter cover crop

Are Fall Leaves Good for a Vegetable Garden?

Absolutely—when used properly.

Instead of bagging every fallen leaf, consider shredding some and using them as winter mulch.

Shredded leaves are preferable to a thick blanket of whole leaves because whole leaves can mat together into a dense layer.

If autumn leaves are piling up around your property, see our guide to whether you should leave fallen leaves on your lawn for more ideas on using them around the yard.

Consider Planting a Winter Cover Crop

For gardeners who have enough time before sustained freezing weather arrives, a cover crop is another option.

Depending on your climate, possible cover crops include:

• Winter rye
• Oats
• Crimson clover
• Hairy vetch
• Field peas

Cover crops aren’t just for farmers.

The USDA notes that cover crops can help reduce erosion, improve soil health, increase organic matter, suppress weeds, improve water infiltration, and help retain nutrients.

The catch is timing.

A cover crop needs enough time to germinate and become established before severe cold arrives, so the best choice depends heavily on where you live and when you’re planting it.

If the planting window has already passed, don’t worry. A layer of leaves, straw, or other suitable mulch can still protect the soil through winter.

5. Decide Which Vegetables Can Stay in the Ground

Don’t automatically harvest everything just because frost is approaching.

Some of the best vegetables of the year arrive after the weather turns cold.

Depending on your climate and variety, frost-tolerant crops can include:

• Kale
• Spinach
• Carrots
• Parsnips
• Leeks
• Brussels sprouts
• Collard greens
• Turnips
• Beets
• Some lettuces

In fact, cold weather can improve the flavor of certain vegetables.

Plants such as carrots, parsnips, kale, and Brussels sprouts may accumulate more sugars in response to cold temperatures, which can make them taste sweeter.

You can learn more about cold-hardy crops in our Farmers’ Almanac fall vegetable planting guide.

Can You Leave Carrots in the Ground Over Winter?

In many climates, yes—with protection.

Carrots and parsnips can sometimes remain in the garden after frost if they’re covered with a thick insulating layer of straw or shredded leaves.

The colder your winters, however, the more protection they’ll need.

And there’s one wonderfully low-tech trick that’s worth remembering:

Mark the rows.

Finding your carrots is easy in October.

Finding the same row under eight inches of January snow is another matter entirely.

When Should You Prepare Your Vegetable Garden for Winter?

There isn’t one date that works everywhere.

A gardener in Minnesota may be putting beds to sleep while someone in Georgia is still harvesting vegetables.

Instead, use your average first frost date as the beginning of your winter-preparation window.

Farmers’ Almanac explains that a light freeze generally occurs around 29°F to 32°F, while colder temperatures can damage progressively hardier vegetation.

Check our 2026 First Frost Dates state-by-state guide and average frost dates by city to estimate when freezing weather typically arrives where you live.

Remember: an average frost date is exactly that—an average. Your actual first frost can arrive earlier or later depending on the year, elevation, local terrain, and even where your garden sits on your property.

Should You Till Your Vegetable Garden in Fall?

Not necessarily.

Gardeners have turned over their vegetable plots in autumn for generations, and tilling can occasionally be useful when establishing a new garden or dealing with certain soil problems.

But you don’t need to rototill a garden every fall simply because the growing season has ended.

Repeated intensive tillage can disturb soil structure and soil organisms.

For many established gardens, a simpler approach works well:

Remove troublesome plants → pull weeds → add compost → protect the soil.

Let earthworms, microorganisms, roots, moisture, and winter’s natural freeze-and-thaw cycles do some of the work.

One More Thing: Winterize Your Garden Tools

Your soil isn’t the only thing that needs winter preparation.

Before putting everything away:

• Brush dirt from shovels, hoes, forks, and trowels.
• Wash and thoroughly dry dirty tools.
• Sharpen pruners and cutting tools.
• Lightly oil exposed metal surfaces where appropriate.
• Drain garden hoses.
• Drain irrigation components that could freeze.
• Store tools somewhere protected from winter weather.

You’ll appreciate it when that first irresistible gardening day arrives next spring.

Your Fall Vegetable Garden Checklist

Before the ground freezes, try to complete these five jobs:

1. Remove dead and diseased vegetable plants.
2. Pull weeds before they spread more seeds.
3. Add finished compost and organic matter.
4. Cover bare soil with mulch or a cover crop.
5. Protect or harvest the cold-hardy vegetables still growing.

You don’t need a perfectly clean garden.

You just want to leave the soil protected, healthy, and ready for another season.

There is something satisfying about putting a vegetable garden to bed for winter. The beds grow quiet, the tools go back into the shed, and the last carrots disappear beneath their blanket of leaves or straw.

But the garden hasn’t stopped working.

Beneath that winter covering, organic matter is breaking down, roots are decomposing, microorganisms are still at work, and the soil is preparing for spring.

A few hours of work this fall can mean fewer weeds, healthier soil, and a much easier start when it’s finally time to plant again.

And after a long winter, there’s no better sight than the first green seedlings coming up through spring soil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I remove all vegetable plants before winter?

No. Remove spent, diseased, or badly infested plants, but cold-tolerant vegetables such as kale, carrots, parsnips, leeks, and Brussels sprouts may continue producing after frost, depending on your climate.

Should I cover my vegetable garden with leaves for winter?

Shredded leaves can make an excellent winter covering for vegetable-garden soil. They help protect the soil surface and gradually contribute organic matter as they decompose.

Should I put compost on my garden before winter?

Fall is an excellent time to spread finished compost over empty vegetable beds. It adds organic matter and gives natural processes months to begin working it into the soil before spring planting.

Is it better to till a garden in fall or spring?

Many established vegetable gardens don’t require annual tilling at all. Adding compost and keeping soil covered can reduce disturbance while protecting soil structure. Specific situations such as creating a new garden may call for a different approach.

What vegetables can survive frost?

Kale, spinach, carrots, parsnips, leeks, collards, Brussels sprouts, turnips, and several other cool-season vegetables can tolerate some frost. Exactly how much cold they can withstand depends on the crop, variety, growing conditions, and duration of the freeze.

How do I know when the ground will freeze?

There is no single national ground-freeze date. Start by checking your area’s average first frost date, then watch local weather as nighttime temperatures fall. Soil usually remains workable beyond the first light frost, giving gardeners additional time for fall cleanup.

But have you ever knocked on wood after saying something hopeful? Avoided walking under a ladder? Felt just a little uneasy when a black cat crossed the road? Or automatically crossed your fingers while waiting for good news?

Some of the most common superstitions are so deeply woven into everyday life that we follow them without even thinking about why.

And many are surprisingly old.

From medieval fears about black cats to ancient beliefs about mirrors, iron, salt, and unlucky numbers, today’s little rituals are remnants of a time when people looked for signs of good and bad fortune almost everywhere.

Here are 8 superstitions people still believe—and the strange stories behind where they came from.

Common Superstitions At a Glance

Of course, none of these beliefs can actually predict your future. They’re folklore, not science. But the history behind them tells us a great deal about how earlier generations tried to make sense of an uncertain world.

1. Knock on Wood

You’ve just said, “I’ve never gotten a speeding ticket.”

Then, almost automatically:

Knock on wood.

The idea is that touching or knocking on wood somehow prevents your good fortune from being reversed.

Where did that come from?

No one knows for certain.

One widely repeated explanation connects the custom with ancient European beliefs that trees were inhabited by gods, spirits, or supernatural beings. Touching or knocking against a tree may have been a way of asking those spirits for protection—or acknowledging them after experiencing good fortune.

Christian traditions later produced another possible explanation, linking protective wood with the wooden cross of Jesus.

But historians haven’t established one definite origin.

What we do know is that versions of “touch wood” and “knock on wood” became established expressions by the 19th century.

Centuries later, plenty of people who don’t believe in tree spirits still reach for the nearest table after tempting fate.

2. A Black Cat Crossing Your Path Brings Bad Luck

Few animals have suffered more from superstition than the black cat.

Cats were highly regarded in ancient Egypt, where they became associated with protection and divinity.

Their reputation changed dramatically in parts of medieval Europe.

During the Middle Ages, cats—particularly black cats—became increasingly associated with witchcraft, evil spirits, and the Devil. Some people believed witches could transform themselves into cats, while others believed cats served as supernatural companions or “familiars.”

That made unexpectedly encountering a black cat an ominous event.

Eventually, the idea developed that a black cat crossing directly in front of you could mean misfortune was coming your way.

But here’s the fascinating part:

Black cats aren’t unlucky everywhere.

In some traditions, they have represented prosperity, protection, and good fortune. Sailors and fishermen’s families have also regarded black cats as lucky in various parts of Britain.

So is a black cat lucky or unlucky?

Apparently, that depends entirely on whom you ask.

3. Breaking a Mirror Means Seven Years of Bad Luck

Crash.

A mirror falls from the wall and shatters.

Almost immediately, someone says:

“That’s seven years of bad luck.”

Why seven?

Mirrors have been surrounded by supernatural beliefs for thousands of years because ancient people did not always regard reflections as simply optical phenomena.

In several cultures, reflections were connected with a person’s soul, spirit, or life force. Damaging someone’s reflection could therefore symbolically damage the person.

The familiar seven-year penalty is often connected to an ancient Roman belief that human life renewed itself in cycles of roughly seven years.

Under that interpretation, breaking a mirror damaged your good fortune—but after seven years, your life would supposedly renew itself.

Whether that explanation represents the superstition’s exact origin is difficult to prove.

What isn’t difficult to prove is that fear of broken mirrors has lasted remarkably well.

A century-old American collection of superstitions preserved by the Library of Congress records multiple beliefs connecting broken looking glasses with bad luck and even death.

That’s a long time for a household accident to carry such a terrible reputation.

4. Walking Under a Ladder Brings Bad Luck

There is one excellent reason not to walk beneath a ladder:

Something might fall on you.

But folklore gave us several much more dramatic explanations.

A ladder leaning against a wall creates a triangle. In Christian Europe, the triangle could symbolize the Holy Trinity—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Walking through that triangle was therefore sometimes said to violate or “break” a sacred space.

Other explanations point toward executions. Ladders were historically associated with gallows and hangings, giving the space beneath them an understandably sinister reputation.

And older traditions sometimes treated triangles themselves as spiritually significant.

The exact origin remains uncertain.

But when ancient symbolism, medieval religion, executions, and the very real possibility of a paint can landing on your head all tell you to walk around the ladder, perhaps it’s no surprise that this superstition survived.

5. Spilling Salt Is Bad Luck

Knock over the salt shaker and someone may immediately tell you:

Throw a pinch over your left shoulder.

This is one of our strangest surviving kitchen superstitions.

Salt was extraordinarily valuable throughout much of history. Before refrigeration, it was essential for preserving food. It was also used in religious ceremonies and became associated with purity, protection, friendship, and permanence.

Wasting it was no small matter.

Over time, spilled salt became associated with misfortune.

Salt also acquired a place in Christian imagery. Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Last Supper, painted in the late 15th century, depicts an overturned salt container near Judas Iscariot—the disciple who betrayed Jesus.

The painting probably didn’t create the superstition, but it helped reinforce the connection between spilled salt, betrayal, and approaching disaster.

So why throw salt over the left shoulder?

According to later folklore, evil or the Devil waited behind a person’s left shoulder. Tossing salt backward was supposed to blind or drive away the unwanted visitor.

Does it work?

Your kitchen floor may have an opinion.

6. Friday the 13th Is Unlucky

Hotels skip the 13th floor.

Some airplanes have no row 13.

And whenever the 13th day of the month lands on a Friday, millions of people still take notice.

But why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky?

The answer may involve ancient religious beliefs, medieval folklore—and one of the most dramatic events of the Middle Ages.

Fear of the number 13 has much older roots. In Christian tradition, Jesus shared the Last Supper with his 12 apostles, making 13 people at the table. Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, later became associated in folklore with the unlucky 13th guest.

Friday developed an ominous reputation of its own. Jesus’ crucifixion is traditionally commemorated on Good Friday, helping give the day an association with sorrow and misfortune in Christian culture.

But one of the most fascinating theories surrounding Friday the 13th takes us to medieval France.

The Knights Templar and Friday, October 13, 1307

At dawn on Friday, October 13, 1307, King Philip IV of France launched a massive attack against the Knights Templar, one of the wealthiest and most powerful military religious orders of the Middle Ages.

Across France, Templars were arrested—including their Grand Master, Jacques de Molay.

Philip was deeply indebted and had increasingly clashed with the powerful order. The Templars were accused of heresy and other crimes, and many were subjected to brutal interrogation and torture. Some confessed under duress.

Their property was seized, and the persecution continued for years. Pope Clement V formally dissolved the Knights Templar in 1312, and Jacques de Molay was burned at the stake in Paris in 1314.

Because the attack began on Friday the 13th, a popular story eventually developed that this terrible day for the Knights Templar was the origin of our fear of Friday the 13th.

It’s a wonderfully eerie explanation.

There’s just one problem:

Historians aren’t sure it’s true.

There is little evidence that medieval Europeans immediately began treating Friday the 13th as an especially unlucky date because of the Templars. The connection appears to have become popular much later.

More likely, several traditions gradually came together: an old suspicion of the number 13, a separate belief that Friday was unlucky, and eventually the unforgettable story of what happened to the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307.

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, fear of the specific date was becoming firmly established in popular culture. Thomas W. Lawson’s bestselling 1907 novel Friday, the Thirteenth helped spread the ominous reputation even further.

Today, fear of the number 13 even has a name: Triskaidekaphobia.

7. A Horseshoe Brings Good Luck

Walk into an old barn, farmhouse, pub, or cottage and you may find a horseshoe hanging above the doorway.

For centuries, people have treated horseshoes as protective charms.

Part of their reputation probably comes from the material itself.

Iron was long believed in European folklore to repel witches, fairies, evil spirits, and other supernatural beings. A horseshoe provided an especially convenient piece of iron to hang near the entrance to a house.

Christian folklore added a colorful story involving St. Dunstan, a 10th-century English churchman who later became Archbishop of Canterbury.

According to legend, the Devil once asked Dunstan—who had worked as a metalworker—to shoe his horse. Dunstan instead nailed the horseshoe directly onto the Devil’s hoof and refused to remove it until the Devil promised never to enter a place displaying a horseshoe.

It’s a legend rather than documented history, but it became one of the classic explanations for the lucky horseshoe.

There is even disagreement about which way a horseshoe should hang.

Some say the open ends must point upward so the good luck doesn’t “spill out.”

Others hang it downward so luck pours onto everyone passing beneath it.

Apparently even good luck needs instructions.

8. Crossing Your Fingers Brings Good Luck

Waiting for test results?

Hoping your team wins?

Trying to get the last available seat on a flight?

Fingers crossed.

The crossed-fingers gesture has become such a universal symbol of hope that we use the emoji 🤞 without giving its origins much thought.

Like many old superstitions, however, its beginnings are uncertain.

One popular explanation connects the gesture with early Christianity. Before Christianity became widely accepted in the Roman world, believers may have used small versions of the cross as signs of recognition or protection.

According to one version of the story, two people would each extend a finger and cross them together to form a small cross while making a wish or seeking protection.

Eventually, one person could make the symbol alone simply by crossing two fingers.

The historical evidence for that exact progression isn’t conclusive, but the symbolism of the cross has undoubtedly contributed to the gesture’s long association with protection and good fortune.

Today, crossing your fingers requires no particular religious belief at all.

It’s simply our nearly universal shorthand for:

I really hope this works.

Why Do We Still Believe in Superstitions?

That might be the most interesting question of all.

Most people who knock on wood don’t actually believe a spirit lives inside their dining-room table.

They simply feel better doing it.

Psychologists have found that superstition becomes especially attractive when something matters to us but the outcome is outside our control.

That explains why superstition appears so often in sports, gambling, exams, travel, weddings, farming, fishing, and weather lore.

We can’t guarantee what happens next.

So we perform a little ritual anyway.

Interestingly, the ritual itself can sometimes affect us—even if it can’t affect luck.

In a series of experiments published in Psychological Science, researchers found that activating familiar good-luck beliefs, including keeping fingers crossed or using lucky charms, could improve participants’ confidence and persistence on certain tasks.

The superstition wasn’t magically changing reality.

It was changing how the person approached reality.

And perhaps that helps explain why these traditions refuse to disappear.

Superstitions Are Pieces of Living Folklore

Whether you believe in them or not, superstitions are tiny pieces of history we carry around with us.

Every time someone knocks on wood, avoids a ladder, hangs a horseshoe, crosses their fingers, or tosses salt over a shoulder, they’re repeating a ritual that may have traveled through hundreds—or even thousands—of years of human culture.

Long before weather satellites, scientific medicine, modern psychology, and instant information, people lived in a world filled with uncertainty.

They looked for patterns.

They watched for signs.

And they developed rituals they hoped would keep fortune on their side.

We may understand the world differently today.

But apparently, we’re still not willing to take any chances.

Which of these superstitions do you still follow—even if you don’t actually believe it? Tell us in the comments.

More Folklore From Farmers’ Almanac

Love old beliefs, weather sayings, lucky traditions, and forgotten customs? Explore more folklore and weather lore from Farmers’ Almanac, where we’ve been collecting the wisdom, observations, traditions, and curious beliefs of generations since 1818.