Local agriculture agencies have launched a new campaign, “If you see it, kill it.” This message about Spotted lanternflies could help save plants, trees and even wine.
This fall when you see a Spotted Lanternfly, don’t hesitate, take a shoe and crush the invasive and destructive insect.
Spotted Lanternflies are known to be particularly destructive to vineyards and fruit trees. This insect has a kill-on-sight directive. Even though some of our local vineyards might not see the impacts on the insect yet, if the population continues to grow and spread, this could impact your favorite wines.
The quarantine area for Spotted Lanternflies was recently expanded to include 22 additional parts of Virginia. If left unchecked, they could continue to spread down the East Coast, wreaking havoc on Virginia’s fruit and lumber industries.
Dr. Doug Pfeiffer, a Professor and Fruit Entomologist at Virginia Tech says, “At first, it was found in about a square mile in northern Fredrick County and it has been spreading. You know, we have an eradication program, but the tools we had didn’t allow for total eradication. Right now, it has spread to include the entire Shenandoah Valley and with several Piedmont counties as well and sort of jumped over, leapfrogged a good part of the state and ended up down in Carroll and Wythe counties.”
Dr. Pfeiffer says that these insects are also very good hitchhikers. They like to attach themselves to your car and hide by the tires. That means if you are traveling to an area with a high population of Lanternflies, you should check your car before heading home, so you don’t expand the spread to a new location.
If you do notice Spotted Lanternflies in your area, the first thing you should do is report it. Local agriculture agencies are keeping track of the insect’s movement. However, if the area you live in is already identified as a high Spotted Lanternfly area, there is no need to further report.
You can get rid of these bugs by using insecticides. There is a range that works, but you want to be careful with how you use them.
“There is research being done to find a new release, natural enemies that are more effective on it. There are prospects in the future for biological control that would reduce the need for insecticides hopefully,” says Pfeiffer.
If you are near the woods, you want to be extra cautious. Even if you think you have killed ones near your home, more adult Spotted Lanternflies can migrate from the woods.