Eggs of the invasive spotted lanternfly have started hatching in Pennsylvania.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the first confirmed spotted lanternfly hatch of the year was found Tuesday by a USDA employee in the University City section of western Philadelphia, near the University of Pennsylvania/Drexel University.
The spotted lanternfly can decimate entire grape vineyards and damage fruit orchards, hops, walnuts, hardwoods and landscape trees.
In addition, the insect threatens our ability to enjoy the outdoors during spring and summer months. They’re known to swarm in the air, cover trees, and coat decks and play equipment with their excrement, known as honeydew. Honeydew, along with sap from weeping plant wounds that result from feeding of Spotted Lanternfly, can attract bees and other insects and stimulate the growth of fungi.
The spotted lanternfly, sometimes referred to as SLF, is an invasive insect from Asia that first was found in North America in Berks County in 2014.
Most spotted lanternfly eggs begin to hatch in mid- to late April in southern Pennsylvania, and a bit later in the northern counties.
As the first instars of the insect hatch from their eggs they immediately begin feeding on tender plant tissue.
“Let’s use this time at home to make a positive impact on spotted lanternfly this season. Scrape and destroy any remaining egg masses you find and band your trees now,” said Agriculture Secretary Redding. “We need every Pennsylvanian to keep their eyes peeled for this bad bug. We can’t let our guard down.”
Scraping egg masses is the most efficient way to kill 30-50 of the invasive pests at a time. If you discover spotted lanternfly egg masses, scrape them off, using a putty knife, credit card or other firm, blunt edged tool.
Penn State Extension has a helpful tutorial on how to destroy egg masses. During the nymph stage, tree banding is the most effective method to capture and kill spotted lanternfly. It’s a non-toxic, inexpensive technique that can be used on any tree, but has been documented to snag unintended targets such as birds. Placing a wire cage around a tree band to exclude things like birds, bats and the like will reduce that unintended impact.
Prior to this year’s spring hatch, 12 counties were added to Pennsylvania’s spotted lanternfly quarantine zone, which now covers 26 counties.
Businesses in the quarantine zone must obtain a permit. Fines associated with noncompliance can be up to $300 for a criminal citation or up to $20,000 for a civil penalty.
Homeowners with questions about treatment may contact their local Penn State Extension office or learn about management, including approved sprays, online. Pennsylvanians who live inside the quarantine zone should also review and sign the Compliance Checklist for residents.
The department asks anyone scraping an egg mass or squashing a spotted lanternfly to report your sighting by calling 1-888-4BAD-FLY or online at agriculture.pa.gov/spottedlanternfly.
More information about the insect in Pennsylvania will be offered in a May 5 webinar by Penn State Extension. The public is invited to hear the latest on the spotted lanternfly during the “Spotted Lanternfly Update 2020: How We Are Fighting It and What You Need to Know” webinar at noon.
Emelie Swackhamer, horticulture extension educator in Montgomery County, will describe the situation that has been unfolding in Pennsylvania and surrounding states over the past five years.
She also will discuss management options, explain regulations in place to slow the pest’s spread and give an overview of current research.
Economists warn that the insect, if not contained, could drain Pennsylvania’s economy of at least $324 million annually and cause the loss of about 2,800 jobs.
At risk are $18 billion worth of agricultural commodities — including grapes, tree fruit, nursery plants and hardwood lumber — as well as natural habitats, parks and backyards.
Swackhamer, a horticulture educator for Penn State Extension in southeastern Pennsylvania for 24 years, has been on the educational front line of the spotted lanternfly invasion since its discovery and is participating in several research projects to learn more about the invasive insect.
More information about the spotted lanternfly, the state-imposed quarantine in Pennsylvania, management techniques and how to report a sighting is available on the Penn State Extension website at https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly.
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Contact Marcus Schneck at mschneck@pennlive.com.