Officials Asking Public to Help Control Insect Invader

Forest and agriculture officials in Pennsylvania are warning residents about the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) and asking residents to report sightings of the pest and its egg sacs.

The Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive species native to Asia. It does not bite or sting humans or pets but causes serious damage to at least 70 different host plants which are often found in Pennsylvania yards or gardens.

It damages grapevines, red maples, silver maples, willows, sumacs, sapling trees and other hardwoods and agricultural and ornamental plants. The fly feeds on and thereby stresses the plants, causing decreased health and eventually death.

The fly also excretes honeydew (a sugary substance) which builds up and promotes growth of fungi which can cover the plant and then drop on patio furniture, cars or anything else below the feeding area, causing cosmetic damage.

The SLF has been found in 34 Pennsylvania counties including Blair, Huntingdon and Cambria. Penn State University has done a study that shows that the infestation of the SLF could drain Pennsylvania's economy of at least $324 million a year.

Information about tree traps and insecticides that can kill the fly can be found on the Penn State Extension website at https://extension.psu.edu/Spotted-Lanternfly. To report a sighting call (888) 422-3359.

Learn to spot the fly

Pa. Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding is encouraging business travelers to join more than 1.2 million people at 26,000-plus companies across the U.S. and Canada who have learned how to recognize Spotted Lanternflies and keep from giving the destructive pest a ride to a new home.

A permit is required for business travel, regardless of type of cargo, since hitchhiking is the primary way the invasive insect spreads to new areas.

"Spotted Lanternflies don't check to see what you're transporting," said Redding. "They hop on anything in their path and hitch a ride to a new home. It only takes one egg mass or one pregnant female insect to start an infestation. Ask anyone who lives in Southeast Pennsylvania – you don't want this pest in your neighborhood, you certainly don't want it dining on the crops that feed our economy, and you don't want to be the business that brought it home."

Eight counties added

The Pa. Ag Department recently announced the addition of eight counties to Pennsylvania's Spotted Lanternfly quarantine zone ahead of the 2021 spring hatch. In addition to special requirements for companies that produce or ship agricultural goods, the quarantine requires companies whose employees travel for business in and out of Cambria, Cameron, Franklin, Lackawanna, Montour, Pike, Wayne, Westmoreland counties and the 26 previously quarantined counties to have Spotted Lanternfly permits.

Obtaining a permit involves taking a brief online course to learn how to recognize the insect at every phase of its lifecycle and how to inspect vehicles and contents to prevent transporting the insect. Each company determines which of their employees should have a permit.

A company with a permit can then tailor training specifically for inspecting the types of vehicles they use and the cargo they transport.

"Human travelers pose the biggest risk when it comes to spreading Spotted Lanternflies," Redding said. "To protect our quality of life, our businesses like stadiums and restaurants that depend on their customers enjoying the outdoors, and the tens of thousands of jobs that depend on agriculture, we must all do our parts. If you run a business in the quarantine zone or travel to and from the quarantine zone for work, get a permit. Learn how you can keep from spreading this destructive pest."

Counties added to the quarantine in 2020 and 2021 have isolated insect populations, as opposed to widespread infestations. In many instances, it is clear the insects got there by hitchhiking, since they do not travel great distances on their own. Transportation corridors, such as major highways, railways, trucking centers and tourist destinations, have been a top priority in the strategy the department and the USDA have followed in efforts to control the spread of the insect.

For more information on Spotted Lanternfly, visit agriculture.pa.gov/SpottedLanternfly.