Did you see a bug flying? Does it have red backwings? Is it covered in polka dots that makes her jealous? A lot of the spotted lanternfly's friends are in your area. The public is being asked to kill these bugs on sight by scientists in several states.
Researchers and entomologists in the Northeast and Midwest have noticed that the spotted lanternfly's range has expanded into more states. Researchers think that the lanternfly's territory has increased due to the spread of the eggs. Crops and trees are weakened and dry because they thrive off of the plant's sap.
These bugs are new to the U.S. and happily lay their eggs wherever they please. They destroy native plant life by reproducing fast and furious. According to Anne Johnson, a PhD student in the department of entomology at Pennsylvania State University, the lanternfly looks like it is setting up a boom-bust cycle, which could explain why their numbers have surged this year. She thinks they will come back with vengeance after a year or two.
The bug has wreaked havoc on the United States' ecology. The spotted lanternfly has been found in several states, including Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts. The bugs arrived in the US from Southeast Asia. Eggs were hidden on stones that were shipped into the country, according to entomologists. There were swarms in Pennsylvania in the first year of the 21st century. The Tree of Heaven is an Invasive plant that has been in the US for 100 years.
Alejandro Calixto, an entomologist at Cornell University and the director of the New York State Integrated Pest Management said that some of theUrge to curb the number of lanternfly may seem a little odd. It doesn't sting, it doesn't bite, and it doesn't cause harm to humans or animals. He said that the main threat was that it was a bug that fed on sugar cane. It can feed on a lot of plants.
There is a big mess left by spotted lanternfly. They make a sticky substance called honeydew, which becomes mold and stops the process of photosynthesis.
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has created an online survey where state residents can log when and where they see bugs. Users have the option of uploading photos of the lanternfly they find. The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources announced this week that it has seen the bug's range spread across the state and asked residents to report any spotted bugs in this online form. There are other ways to report in some states that don't have an online system. She suggested searching for the department of agriculture.
Is there anything you're looking at that's lantern flies or their eggs? Covered eggs look like a patch of mud on tree bark, on rocks, or under a car, and are an inch and a half long. Eggs look like rows of pencil points. Eggs can still hatch if you don't remove them. A Penn State guide says to put them in a container with rubbing alcohol or stomp on the mass if you want to get rid of them.
The nymph lanternfly is a quarter-inch long with no wings and a black body. They are half an inch long and have white dots over black and white. They became red and black. The bugs are mature and obvious. The guide shows all the different types of lanterfly. Put them down if you see them.
Since eggs can be laid on the sides and bottoms of cars, some researchers are asking residents in affected areas to check their cars for eggs before moving. There are traps on trees on your property. Calixto said that some people have used vacuums to collect insects, and that it's better to leave the use of pesticides to professionals.
Both Johnson and Calixto have seen trees covered in insects and leaves. The cutely named honeydew is a big pain.
It was always the worst for me because it rained down on me. Johnson said it was gross. To get rid of clothes, you need to put them in the laundry and take a shower. It's basically sugar water so you can't just wipe it off. It makes everything bad.
Calixto thinks that lanternfly are probably here to stay, just like many other invaders. It is interesting to see the early stages of an invasion. He said that the United States has tools and resources to prevent this. We are still trying to figure out how to control this insect in the Northeast.
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