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Invasive spotted lanternfly could threaten Western Pennsylvania trees, plants

Mary Ann Thomas
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Courtesy of Tree Pittsburgh
A spotted lanternfly nymph photo from Lawrenceville sent to Tree Pittsburgh two weeks ago.
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Courtesy of Penn State University
Tree-of-heaven, a rapidly growing tree native to China and Taiwan that was introduced into the United States more than 200 years ago, are particularly attractive the spotted lanternfly, which can do serious harm to agricultural crops.
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Courtesy of PA Department of Agriculture
Adult spotted lanternfly.

Allegheny County could be overrun with the beautiful but disgusting spotted lanternfly within two years if the public doesn’t find and report them this year, according to a Penn State researcher.

Spotted like a Dalmatian, a lanternfly nymph recently found in Lawrenceville heralded its persistent presence in Allegheny County.

Some small populations and isolated sightings of lanternfly and egg masses were reported earlier this year by Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The agency placed Allegheny and Beaver counties under quarantines requiring businesses to take precautions shipping outside the county.

The colorful moth-like invasive insect swarms and attacks trees and plants while oozing sweet sticky droppings that can coat cars, decks and other surfaces. A Penn State study forecasts a $324 million annual economic loss from the insect’s insatiable appetite for the sap of fruit, ornamental and other trees, and woody plants.

“This is a critical time for Allegheny County,” said Heather Leach, an extension associate with Penn State’s Department of Entomology, whose full focus is to deal with the lanternfly invasion. The federal and state departments of agriculture have contracted with Penn State University College of Agricultural Sciences to conduct public outreach and other work on the lanternfly scourge.

Public action is required now. Leach said: Identify it. Kill it. Report it. Save it. Call the hotline 1-888-422-3359 or visit their website (extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly).

Adult lanternflies will soon be on the wing.

The nymphs are the size of a pencil eraser in the spring. They then turn red, growing to a half inch. In late July, they are adults about an inch-long that can fly. The typical introduction to the spotted lanternfly typically goes like this, Leach said: “What’s that lovely bug? It looks like a moth and is jumping around like crazy.”

If the destructive, nuisance insect isn’t stamped out early in Allegheny County, its populations could grow quickly in as little as two years. The infestation could rival Philadelphia’s burgeoning lanternfly population, Leach said.

The spotted lanternfly, from China and Southeast Asia, was first detected in Berks County in 2014. In the southeastern part of the state, residents stomp, spray, zap, even apply a wet-dry vac to suck up the swarms that can assemble in staggering numbers.

If small populations are found and reported this year, there is still time to eradicate it, experts said.

Just two weeks ago, a resident from central Lawrenceville sent a photo of a black-and-white nymph to the nonprofit Tree Pittsburgh, which advised sending the sighting to the state Department of Agriculture, which came to Lawrenceville to set up traps to see if there were more.

No other specimens were found in Lawrenceville, much to the relief of Tree Pittsburgh’s manager of community education, Joe Stavish.

“It has the potential to do a lot of damage to the trees and affect the public’s mentality,” he said. “When this insect shows up and drips honeydew on your deck and car, people aren’t going to want trees,” he said.

The bug numbers are still relatively low in Allegheny and Beaver counties. Populations have been confined to 14 counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. But move westward was aided by railways or other types of transportation where the lanternfly can hitch a ride.

Earlier this year, the state Department of Agriculture reported the presence of the invasive insect in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County communities of Monroeville, North Versailles, Wall and Wilmerding. In Beaver County, the bug was found in Conway, Baden and Economy.

The insect is heavily attracted to another invasive — a deciduous tree, also from China, called the “tree-of-heaven.”

The reason why the tree of heaven is the spotted lanternfly’s favorite to feed is unclear, according to Penn State researchers. But the fact it has a favorite tree is helping environmental officials determine how to possibly control the spread of the invasive insect in the future.

“If you have a tree-of-heaven on your property, now is the time to get rid of it,” said Charles Bier, senior director for conservation science at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

“The lanternflies are coming,” he said. “This is just the beginning of its arrival.”

Recently, an East Pittsburgh resident sent Miles Stephens, district manager with Davey Tree Co., a photo of a lanternfly nymph on a tomato plant. Stephens directed the resident to report the finding the Penn State.

“People are asking about them and I explain that if they see one, they need to contact Penn State hotline or by email,” he said. “Obviously we are concerned about the trees.”

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