The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets provided an update last Monday on an intrusive and destructive insect: the spotted lanternfly.
State officials describe the spotted lanternfly as "an invasive, non-native insect that feeds on more than 100 plant species, including tree-of-heaven, and plants and crops, such as grapes."
Officials are warning residents in several counties, including Albany, Schenectady, Ontario and Seneca, to report any sightings of the insect and scrape any egg masses they come across.
“We have been working with our partners for years to contain SLF and minimize the spread of this invasive species, which can cause extensive damage to plants and crops that are critical to New York’s agricultural economy," State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said in a statement. "We are incredibly grateful for the help New Yorkers have provided in the last few years and urge residents to continue eliminating egg masses by scraping them off trees, structures and outdoor furnishings now that the cold weather is here. We’re optimistic that through education and continued collaboration with our partners and the public, we will be able to manage SLF and mitigate the impact to the grape growing industry in the years to come.”
The department is asking residents to report sightings of the spotted lanternfly by:
- Taking a photo,
- collecting a sample and placing it in a freezer or in a jar with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer
- Contacting the SLF responders and report SLF directly at agriculture.ny.gov/reportslf
- After reporting SLF in your area and collecting a sample, kill any additional SLF you see by stepping on it or crushing it
Chris Logue, director of Plant Industry at New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, spoke to Spectrum News 1's Camille DeLongis about the spotted lanternfly, how it ended up in the region and how residents can identify it. You can watch the full interview in the video player above.