Have you ever been in your backyard and marveled at a creature you’ve never seen before? Even if you’re not into ‘bugs,’ seeing a new species, especially one with interesting colors and markings can be fascinating. This year in your Maryland backyard you might just have the opportunity to see something you’ve never seen. Before you get excited, while this creature is kind of neat looking, it’s not a welcome addition.
The Spotted Lanternfly is so unwelcome in fact, states are asking that you REPORT spotting them, and eliminate their eggs! Check out this video from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture:
This pesky insect first appeared in the U.S. 3 years ago when a shipment of stone arrived from Asia in Berks County, Pennsylvania that contained Spotted Lanternfly eggs. In three short years, they have spread rapidly and caused major damage to crops and hardwood in southeastern Pennsylvania. So harmful is this species that the USDA has added $17.5M in emergency funding to its initial budget of $5.5M to fight the invasion and help eradicate this destructive pest.
If you see Spotted Lanternflies or their eggs, you are encouraged to kill them by scraping egg masses off of hard surfaces, double-bagging them and throwing them away. You can also place eggs into alcohol or hand sanitizer to kill them.
So how do you spot a Spotted Lanternfly?
In this photo gallery from the PennState Extension, discover what Spotted Lanternflies look like – from eggs to nymphs to adults: https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly-what-to-look-for
Mary Kay Malinoski, an entomologist with the University of Maryland’s agricultural extension program has seen her share of invasive species over her career – from tree-eating gypsy moths in the 1980’s to the ever pesky stink bug arriving in 2006. Of the Spotted Lanternfly she says, “This is big enough and bad enough that it’s going to take over my life for the next couple of years,” she said with a sigh. “It’s a really big deal.”
Spotted Lanternflies are expected to make their debut in the northern parts of Maryland – Cecil County, Harford County and northern Baltimore County this spring. However, if the past 3 years is any indication, they will make their way to the central and southern parts of Maryland in record time.
Be on the lookout and if you see them or their eggs, you are encouraged to dispose of them and report them to the Department of Agriculture. They can track their migration, and development ways of eradicating them, such as finding natural predators.
