Content below is from #175 of the Who’d a Thunk It? Podcast
RECOMMENDATION SEGMent
The recommendation segment was lost to WordPress’s inability to save my work LOL. But it is on the recording at the link above.
NOW FOR THE MAIN EVENT
- I live in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (technically not a state) commonly referred to as PA because Pennsylvania is a mouthful. In the past couple years, PA has been invaded by a destructive insect species commonly referred to as the Spotted Lantern Fly (SLF).
- I first encountered them in the Lancaster area in the southeastern part of the state a few years ago. They were relatively rare, but my mom (daughter to dedicated PA Forrester) was quick to inform me that they were invasive and should be destroyed.
- My grandfather Patrick (lovingly referred to as Papa) dedicated his entire life (professional and otherwise) to advocating the importance of our forests and even though he passed away years ago, his ideals permeate virtually every member of his extended family.
- So when mom told me it was a big deal to try and stop the spread of the SLF due to agricultural and forestry reasons, I shrugged it off as something my mom was perhaps overly-concerned about…
- I was wrong.
- I first encountered them in the Lancaster area in the southeastern part of the state a few years ago. They were relatively rare, but my mom (daughter to dedicated PA Forrester) was quick to inform me that they were invasive and should be destroyed.
The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect. It’s native to China, India, and Vietnam but was first found here (PA) in 2014. It feeds on many trees, including fruit, ornamental, and woody ones. They move around easily, through the movement of materials or as egg masses. As it feeds, it sucks sap and excretes honeydew which can build up and become a become a growth area for sooty mold. SLF damages trees and rarely kills them.
In addition to the impact on our tree canopy, it also has the potential to devastate our economy if not contained. It’s estimated the state could lose $324 million annually from the forestry industry.
Scientific Name: (Lycorma delicatula)
Pest Category: Invasive • Agricultural Pest
Spotted lanternflies do not bite or sting. They feed exclusively on plants outdoors and can only survive for about 48 hours without feeding on a plant. They can be a nuisance because of their sheer numbers.
- I remember last year seeing a few on my side of the state (Western side near Pittsburgh) and thinking, well it really is spreading, but the issue probably won’t get out of hand.
- This summer I’ve seen thousands. And that is just me, a guy who walks around his neighborhood. The statistics aren’t finalized yet, but the predictive numbers are starting to show $324 million loss in agriculture.
- Western PA is getting his the worst. These things are everywhere and they are a problem.
There are 4 stages of the spotted lanternfly.
Egg mass (October-June)
You can find egg masses on trees, stones, cars, patio furniture…really anywhere. The masses are 1 inch long and are covered in a white substance that dries over time, looking like mud (blending into things like trees).
Early stage nymph (May-June)
After they hatch, nymphs are very tiny and grow to about 1/4 inch. They have black bodies with white spots. They’re excellent jumpers.
Late stage nymph (July-September)
As late stage nymphs, SLFs get bright red spots in addition to the white. They grow to be 1/2 inch long.
Adult (July-December with egg laying beginning in September)
Adult SLFs are about 1 inch long. Their wings are red closest to their bodies, with tan wings and black spots outside. They like to jump and glide.
If you find spotted lanternfly, please visit this link or call1-888–422-3359.
If you find egg masses, this video shows you how to identify, remove, and destroy them. When you find other stages on your property, you should try and destroy it. You can find information on that from the PA Department of Agriculture here.
- It has become so normalized here to see thousands of them crawling on infrastructure such as bridges, guard rails, etc.
- When I go to the gym today I guarantee I will see hundreds and I will see about a dozen people stomping around the parking lot trying to kill them because the word is out: STOMP THE INVADER
- There is now merchandise about it, I bought a shirt down at the strip district of Pittsburgh last weekend that says “10/10 would smash” and shows the open-winged adult SLF.
- The coolest is the 11th Hour Brewing Company in Pittsburgh released a shandy beer called “Stomp the Invader.” And even though I missed it, they did an educational walk for the beer release.
- I recently had a friend come up to visit from Washington DC (shoutout to Panda), and he said he knew nothing about these things.
- So he was baffled when he saw the parking lot stompers, heard the Best Buy guy compliment us for doing our duty of killing a dozen outside the store, and saw SLF merch at the Strip District.
- Side note, apparently PANDA should not have come to visit as his home in Fredricksburg VA is outside the SLF quarantine zone.
- So he was baffled when he saw the parking lot stompers, heard the Best Buy guy compliment us for doing our duty of killing a dozen outside the store, and saw SLF merch at the Strip District.
If you see a spotted lanternfly, it’s imperative to immediately report it online or via phone by calling 1-888-4BADFLY. Especially if you are not inside the quarantine zone.
What else? Kill it! Squash it, smash it…just get rid of it. In the fall, these bugs will lay egg masses with 30-50 eggs each. These are called bad bugs for a reason, don’t let them take over your county next.
A Quarantine and Treatment Order is in place to help prevent the spread of spotted lanternfly in Pennsylvania. Quarantine zones may be expanded to new areas if SLF detections are confirmed. The interactive SLF quarantine map provides information on whether your location is quarantined for SLF.Opens In A New Window
A county is placed under quarantine when evidence of a reproducing population of spotted lanternflies, such as an egg mass or a group of adults, is found by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
The spotted lanternfly causes serious damage including oozing sap, wilting, leaf curling and dieback in trees, vines, crops and many other types of plants. In addition to plant damage, when spotted lanternflies feed, they excrete a sugary substance, called honeydew, that encourages the growth of black sooty mold. This mold is harmless to people however it causes damage to plants. In counties infested and quarantined for spotted lanternfly, residents report hundreds of these bad bugs that affect their quality of life and ability to enjoy the outdoors during the spring and summer months. Spotted lanternflies will cover trees, swarm in the air, and their honeydew can coat decks and play equipment.
In addition to damaging trees and affecting quality of life, the spotted lanternfly is a huge threat to Pennsylvania agriculture industry. The economic impact could total in the hundreds of millions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs for those in the grapes, apple, hops, and hardwood industries.
- The SLFs love the Tree of Heaven
- These invasive little buggers LOVE the Tree of Heaven for some reason.
- Perhaps the reason is because the Tree of Heaven is also in invasive species to the United States.
- Ailanthus altissima ay-LAN-thəss al-TIH-sim-ə, commonly known as tree of heaven, ailanthus, varnish tree, copal tree, stinking sumac, Chinese sumac, paradise tree, or in Chinese as chouchun, is a deciduous tree in the family Simaroubaceae. It is native to northeast and central China, and Taiwan.
- So maybe the SLFs prefer the Tree of Heaven because it reminds them of home sweet home.
- So my final note to you Who’d a Thunkers:
- While I do try to not kill any insect for no good reason… These things need to die. Feel free to let our your inner hatred on these things and kill them with a quick and decisive stomp.
- Be warned though, while they pose no direct threat to us, they do tend to jump away and glide on their wings when you go to stomp them. So stomp quickly. Also, I could totally see someone trying to get one of these agile little buggers and wander into oncoming traffic, so beware of your wurroundings while doing your duty as a citizen… by mercilessly stomping the life out of these things.
- I tell my wife Shannon that I feel bad. It isn’t their fault, they aren’t malicious little devils. They were brought here because of us humans… but that doesn’t change the fact that they MUST DIE!
- And apparently our human intervention has helped slow their spread and decimation of local plant life so keep it up!
CREDIT:
The Journal of A_C_Unit 