The Spotted Lanternfly
If you are not from Pennsylvania or the northeast, you may not even know what the Spotted Lanternfly is. But if you’re in the world of agriculture, there is a strong chance you have at least heard of it. And this could be because it is heading your way.
According to the Penn State Extension website, the Spotted Lanternfly, or SLF, is an invasive species that was first seen in Pennsylvania in 2014. And it is now found in Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, and West Virginia as well. The SLF has been documented to feed on over 70 plant species. These insects feed on plant sap and have become a major pest on plants such as grapes, birch, willow, maple, peach, apple trees, and other hardwoods to name some. The Penn State extension website also said they leave behind a honeydew that, “builds up and promotes the growth for sooty mold (fungi), which can cover the plant.”
The Spotted Lanternfly is considered a plant stressor, which weakens plants after feeding. “The feeding damage significantly stresses the plants which can lead to decreased health and potentially death.” But, from what I have seen and read on this, high numbers of the SLF can lead to them doing the most serious damage. There are no natural predators to go after them either. That said, it is recommended that if you see one you should squash it right away!
I recall all those years back when it first became a nuisance pest in Pennsylvania. I visited a customer where the pest first was an issue. It was incredible how many there were that day. I mean they were everywhere. I couldn’t sweep my head back and forth without seeing hundreds of them. They were landing on me five and six at a time. And I recall thinking that this could be really bad if it were to keep up and spread that way. Luckily, that was not the case. That same area where they were so infested, barely has an issue with them anymore. It seems that they get to an area and cause some damage, but eventually move away from there. Each year, they hit new areas and folks experience them for the first time.
The most feedback from customers that I had got in the early days was that they really hit the grapes. It was so bad early on, that some folks just wanted the things gone. One customer sprayed 200 grain white vinegar as an incecticide, not caring if it burned the grapes themselves. They just wanted to eradicate that pest. In another instance, I heard of a customer using a shop-vac to suck the Spotted Lanternflies off their grapevines.
Again, they were heavy in the beginning, and they can leave their mark. “If not contained, spotted lanternfly potentially could drain Pennsylvania’s economy of at least $324 million annually, according to a study carried out by economists at Penn State.” Therefore, one who has any stake in crops that can be beat down by the SLF has ample reason for caution. I think this highlights that curve balls can fly in out of nowhere. And the substantial problems created can stick around for a substantial period of time.
I know there are a lot of pests and invasive species out there doing serious damage. And I hope any folks reading this, closer to the middle parts and western side of the United States, don’t ever see a Spotted Lanternfly. But if you do, be sure to stomp on the dang thing! (extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly)
