rep. gary day

In a press release last Friday, state Rep. Gary Day, R-187, urged residents to report sightings of an invasive insect known as the Spotted Lanternfly to the state.

The insect, originally native to Eastern countries such as China and Vietnam, is an inch-long black, red and white spotted insect that attacks pines, grapes, and fruit trees.

Adult Spotted Lanternflies lay egg clusters of 30 to 50 eggs that often adhere to flat surfaces, including trees and man-made objects. Transplantation of objects with these egg deposits on them is one of the main factors that spreads the insect. Egg deposits can be eliminated by scraping them off of the tree and then putting the eggs in alcohol or hand sanitizer to kill the larvae.

Trees attacked by the Spotted Lanternfly typically have a trail of grey or black sap trickling down the trunk.

The Department of Agriculture recently expanded the quarantine area of the insect to include Alburtis and Macungie Boroughs, Lower Macungie and New Hanover Townships and Lehigh and Montgomery Counties after small pockets of the pest were found there. The quarantine forbids movement of materials, such as firewood, yard waste, grapevines and outdoor equipment such as lawnmowers and grills that could spread the insect. Businesses in quarantined areas need to obtain a Certificate of Limited Permit from the Department of Agriculture in order to move articles.

“The good news is that the state’s efforts to minimize the spread of this species is working,” said Day.

“However, the bad news is that it has been seen in small populations in Lower Macungie Township.”

“I applaud the ongoing efforts to help eradicate this harmful insect through increased surveillance activities, which are really making a difference,” Day said.

More information can be obtained by visiting www.agriculture.pa.gov and searching “lanternfly.” More information, such as a quarantine checklist and more information about the pest, can be found there.