Agriculture Officials Really Want Those Spotted Lanternflies Gone, Gone, Gone

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Adult Spotted Lanternflies outside the Berks County Services Building in Reading, PA Monday afternoon. The Spoted Lanternfly is an invasive species from Asia.

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Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group via Getty Images

Animals
Pennsylvania Turns To Man’s Best Friend To Sniff Out Spotted Lanternfly Infestation

In addition to plant damage, once spotted lanternflies feed, they eject a sugary substance, otherwise known as honeydew, that encourages the growth of black sooty mold. Each fall, the bugs will lay egg masses with 30-50 eggs each.

If you’re in Pennsylvania and see a spotted lanternfly, officials say it is imperative to immediately report it online to the state Department of Agriculture or by phone, especially if you are not inside one of the county’s quarantine zones.

In the meantime, Pennsylvania officials give the following advice to those who encounter the pesky insects: «Kill it! Squash it, smash it … just get rid of it.»

Short Wave
Fighting An Insect Invasion With… An Insect Invasion

Back in 2014, the pests were first found in Pennsylvania and have since spread to multiple counties, which are now quarantined.

In March, the state’s agriculture department added eight additional counties to its «Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine» list, for a total of 34 out of 67 Pennsylvania counties now in quarantine.

• spotted lanternflies
• bugs
• quarantine
• insects
• Pennsylvania