Agriculture Officials Want Spotted Lanternflies Gone Gone Gone!
Click to enlarge the image. Caption Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group via Getty Images Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Attention! There is an unwelcome guest in Pennsylvania. Officials are warning residents to be cautious.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the spotted lanternfly was moving in and threatening trees and agriculture.
Flies can cause serious damage to trees by wilting, oozing sap and leaf curling. They can also cause the death of crops, trees, vines and other plants in more severe cases.
The spotted lanternflies can also cause plant damage. Once they feed, the insects release honeydew, a sugary substance that encourages the growth and development of black mold. The bugs lay 30-50 eggs per fall.
Officials advise that spotted lanternflies should be reported immediately to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture if they are seen in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania officials offer the following advice for those who come across the annoying insects: "Kill it!" It is best to squash it and smash it, but you can still get rid of it.
The pests were first discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014. They have spread to other counties and are currently quarantined.
The state's agriculture department added eight counties to its "Spotted Lanternfly Qarantine" list in March. This brings the total number of Pennsylvania counties currently under quarantine to 34.
