The spotted lanternfly is here

The spotted lanternfly is an invasive species and if the public sees them, they should kill them.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) or SLF, is an invasive insect pest from Asia that primarily feeds on trees of heaven, but can also feed on a wide variety of plants such as grapevine, hops, maple, walnut, and fruit trees.

“While the full impacts of SLF are unknown, the insect will negatively impact the agricultural and tourism industries and may impact New York’s forests,” the NYSDEC website reads.

HOW DID IT GET HERE?

The bug is a planthopper native to China. It is thought to have arrived as egg masses on a stone shipment in 2012. Despite quarantines and efforts to eradicate the pest, it has proven difficult to contain. Quarantine efforts have been moderately effective in slowing its spread.

The insect was first discovered in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014 and was found New York in 2020 in Staten Island.

For an up-to-date map of the current infestation locations visit Cornell’s Integrated Pest Management site: https://cals.cornell.edu/new-york-state-integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/whats-bugging-you/spotted-lanternfly/spotted-lanternfly-reported-distribution-map.

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE?

According to the NYSDEC:

“Nymphs are black with white spots and turn red before transitioning into adults. The black nymphs can be seen as early as April and until July. Red nymphs can be seen from July until September.

Adults begin to appear in July and are approximately 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide at rest, with eye-catching wings. Their forewings are grayish with black spots. The lower portions of their hindwings are red with black spots and the upper portions are dark with a white stripe.

In the fall, adults lay 1-inch-long egg masses on nearly anything from tree trunks and rocks to vehicles and firewood. They are smooth and brownish-gray with a shiny, waxy coating when first laid.”

INFESTATION SIGNS

Signs include oozing sap from tiny open wounds on tree trunks, which appears wet and may give off fermented odors. There will also be egg masses that are brownish-gray, waxy and mud-like when new. Old egg masses are brown and scaly.

IMPACT

According to the NYSDEC, adults and nymphs use their sucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of more than 70 plant species. This feeding, sometimes by thousands of SLF, stresses plants, making them vulnerable to disease and attacks from other insects. They also excrete sticky “honeydew,” which promotes the growth of sooty molds.

HOW TO HELP

Identify the spotted lanternfly, inspect outdoor items for egg masses, scrape them off and destroy them with hot soapy water or hand sanitizer.

Also, take pictures of the insect, egg masses and/or infestation signs as described above (include something for scale such as a coin or ruler) and email to spottedlanternfly@agriculture.ny.gov.

TIPS FROM A LOCAL FARMER

Local Moriches farmer Matt Gartelman believes the bug will destroy Long Island agriculture and offered the following tips to help slow the damage.

“They kill plants by sucking the sap out of them and, over time, weaken and stunt their growth,” he said, concerned for local agriculture.

He said that the best way to handle them is when you see one to take a flip-flop and squish it.

“People think it’s this beautiful bug, and it is, but it does have a really negative impact on plants,” he said. “They can travel by sticking onto the car, so do a quick scan and check them before you leave.”

He also suggests if they are high up and you can’t reach them to use dish soap and water in a spray bottle to kill them.

“I am concerned about it and I think if we don’t take action now, something to [the] effect of farmers will have to be inside the greenhouses with nets up on the grape vines,” he said.

ABOUT FARMER MATT

Center Moriches eighth-grader Matt Gartelman is a first-generation farm manager and co-owner of Barn Again Farm. He lives on the just under 2-acre farm, located at 87 Bernstein Boulevard, with his parents and older brother and sister. He raises pigs, goats, horses, rabbits, turkeys, chickens and ducks, among other animals. And in the spring, he has a small farm stand where he sells home-grown vegetables as well as flowers and plants. He also sells fresh herb and vegetable kits for customers to grow their own. The farm is committed to sustainable and responsible farming practices. They use natural fertilizers and pest control methods to ensure the crops are healthy and free from harmful chemicals. Also, the animals are raised in spacious and clean environments, with plenty of access to fresh air and sunshine.