Officials at Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are warning residents to be on the lookout for spotted lintenfly sightings.
What do mottled lanternflies look like?
The insect is easily identifiable thanks to its characteristic speckled pattern on its wings. Its forewings are light brown with black spots, while its hindwings have red, white, and black patches.
Adults get to be about an inch long and half an inch wide.
Although the insects are showy, they pose a serious threat to the local economy. If their population is not controlled, they could cost New York $300 million a year.
If you see one, kill it immediately, the spotted lanternfly will wreak havoc on New York agriculture by infesting wooded areas, fruit trees, and vineyards.
This last point is especially worrying for the local wine industry, as these voracious insects love to feed on the sap of the vines and can wipe out the plants completely.
How to kill the mottled lanternfly?
There are several ways to keep these pests at bay. Vinegar kills spotted lanternflies instantly, as does insecticidal soap.
Liquid soap also works if mixed with water and about a tablespoon of vegetable oil.
Another, possibly more successful, way to remove these pests is to remove them with a vacuum cleaner.
Some people have also figured out an effective way to catch and kill a group of them using just an empty water bottle.
Of course, you can also opt for the traditional method and crush them with your feet.
Beware of the eggs
People should also be on the lookout for egg masses, which can look like a patch of dried clay to the naked eye.
These masses are about an inch long and can be found on a variety of hard surfaces, but most commonly trees and rocks.
They can also be found on cars, outdoor furniture, and fences.
If you find any of these masses, destroy them immediately as they may contain up to 50 lanternfly eggs.
It is recommended to crush these masses and scrape them into a zip-top plastic bag filled with alcohol or hand sanitizer. After that, close the bag tightly and dispose of it properly.
Mottled Lanternflies begin laying their eggs in September and the season runs through November, or until the first deadly frost.
In the end, no matter how you kill these creatures, the goal is to eradicate the invasive species before it’s too late.
It is also recommended that any sightings be reported to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
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The war against the spotted lanternfly got out of hand in 2020, decidedly in favor of the insects. Lanternflies’ dominance over Pennsylvania and surrounding states has been greater since they were first observed in 2014. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture confirmed that 34 of 67 counties are under quarantine for the invasive pest that has caused millions in losses in the agriculture.
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The first official sightings of Pennsylvania lanternflies were in Berks County in 2014. The creatures likely arrived as eggs in shipments of rocks and cement from Asia. It didn’t take long for the small, colorful insects to cause a big problem. The quarantine for the invasive pest now includes 34 counties, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding confirmed.
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Adult spotted lanternflies and nymphs usually congregate in large numbers on host plants. Franklin County is among eight counties that have been added to the Pennsylvania Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine Zone.
Credit: Carolina Rodríguez Plaza
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The eight counties added to the quarantine zone are not fully infested, but do have some townships with a known infestation, according to Redding. Mottled Lanternflies eat the sap of more than five dozen different types of trees and flora, their feces attracting a mold that eventually kills the plants.
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They are particularly drawn to the Tree of Heaven, a weed native to China that has proliferated throughout Philadelphia. Experts have confirmed that the insect has expanded its preference and will take over almost any type of plant life it encounters.
Credit: Carolina Rodríguez Plaza
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Cambria, Cameron, Franklin, Lackawanna, Montour, Pike, Wayne and Westmoreland counties are new to quarantine for 2021. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture confirmed that reported spotted lanternfly sightings are up 500 percent compared to with 2019. In Philadelphia, reports continue to increase.
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The spotted lanternfly has spread to New Jersey and Delaware. In all, the insect has infestations in four states and has been found in eight. What is the most effective method to control the enormous amount of insects reported in our region? An ecologist and conservation biologist gives us an idea. A hotline has been established for reports of the invasive pest. If you see a call, 1-888-4BAD-FLY; that’s 1-888-422-3359. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm For more information on the spotted lanternfly, visit Agriculture.pa.gov/spottedlanternfly.
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A new pilot training program from the University of Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) points to a promising solution in Pennsylvania’s efforts to thwart the spotted lanternfly. By using scent-detecting dogs to identify spotted lanternfly egg masses, Penn Vet researchers hope to proactively neutralize the destructive insects before they become a full threat as mature adults.
2023-08-29 22:43:28
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