Spotted Lanternflies Are Threatening Agriculture And Trees In Northeast States

States are dashing to get residents to stomp out the invasive noticed lanternfly earlier than the moth-wanting bugs destroy extra agriculture. Every fall, the bugs will lay egg lots with 30-50 eggs each.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

The Northeastern Usa is being invaded. Almost a dozen states are reporting infestations of the noticed lanternfly.

ALEJANDRO CALIXTO: It is An truly pretty insect – purple with white dots and black marks. Sadly, it’s an invasive insect.

INSKEEP: Alejandro Calixto is of the pest administration program at Cornell College.

CALIXTO: This insect is native from Asia. They are not A drawback Inside their native areas. It is Everytime you introduce these species into new areas. They typically Do not have their pure enemies. They will reproduce exactly quick and in huge numbers.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Invasive bugs set off billions of dollars Of damage to agriculture Yearly Inside the U.S., and the lanternfly might add to that Worth ticket. Calixto says it’s threatening vineyards.

CALIXTO: It Does not chew. It Does not sting. That is an insect that feeds on the sap of the crops.

MARTIN: And Calixto says that debilitates the crops. He is been monitoring lanternfly migration patterns and creating a mitigation method. In Pennsylvania, People are taking a extra direct strategy.

KASSIE FENN: The primary time I noticed one was the first time I killed one. It was on The underside, And that i used to be In a place to stomp it with my foot. And I felt like I used to be doing my half.

INSKEEP: Kassie Fenn of the Chesapeake Bay Basis started a program referpurple to as the Squish Squad.

FENN: Coming from a background in environmental education, I do not assume I’ve ever promoted the killing of any organism. So there’s exactly a objective behind it. It is not simply, oh, We do not like this insect, so We now Want to squish it. There’s An exact concern Regarding the adverse influence It might have.

INSKEEP: She says Do You’d like to’re squeamish about squishing bugs, It is Okay To make the most of a fly swatter.

MARTIN: Acquired one.

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