There is a new bug invading the eastern US
The spotted lantern fly has been seen in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana.
Rhode Island spotted the state’s first specimen earlier this month, state environmental officials said.
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The winged pest, also known as Lycorma delicatula, is native to China.
It was first discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014, but appeared to have been present two to three years earlier, according to the USDA National Invasive Species Information Center.
It has also been found in Delaware, Maryland, Connecticut, and Virginia, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
Close up of spotted lantern fly (Lycorma delicatula) on peach tree, Berks County Pa.
(iStock)
The spotted lantern fly appears the size of a butterfly, but with a moth-like appearance.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture states that an adult is approximately one inch long and one half inch wide at rest, with brown, semi-transparent forewings, black spots, red and black spots, and a white band and a yellow and black belly.
The immature stages of the spotted lantern fly are black with white spots, and they develop the red spots as they mature.
Adults appear in July and fall, laying 30 to 50 1-inch long egg masses on logs, firewood, rocks, and vehicles.
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The periodically appearing cicadas in the eastern United States also laid their eggs in trees, so why is the spotted lantern fly “Public Enemy Number One”?
The USDA National Invasive Species Information Center says it poses “a serious economic threat to several US industries”.
The insect feeds on agricultural crops such as grapes, apples, and hops, as well as maple, walnut, and willow trees.
The spotted lantern fly (Lycorma delicatula) infestation has resulted in the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture quarantining an invasive insect
(iStock)
The Empire State says its presence could impact forests – making crops susceptible to disease – and the agribusiness and tourism industries.
New York’s annual apple and grape yield – a total value of $ 358.4 million – could be “heavily affected” by an infestation, the DEC said.
Signs of an infestation are the leakage of sap from tree trunks; 1-inch-long, brownish-gray or brown and scaly masses of eggs; and honeydew formation under plants. The lantern flies secrete honeydew, which promotes the growth of black soot mold.
Several Pennsylvania counties are now under quarantine, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture said.
Somerset and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey are also reportedly under quarantine.
The message to people who think they have seen these insects is clear: when you see something, say something … after you kill it.
“Kill it! Crush it, smash it … just go,” ordered the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
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“If you see a spotted lantern fly, help us pound it,” pleaded the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.
Officials are also encouraging all “SLF” spotters and killers to submit public reports through government websites in order to better understand the spread of this species.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
