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As spotted lanternfly infests region, ag experts ask public to help curb spread

by Kate Evans

Residents should keep watching for signs of the invasive spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) as the insect continues to expand its range and threaten fruit trees, hardwood trees and crops in many states, including West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia.  The insect was first found in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 2014.

The spotted lanternfly was first sighted in Berkeley County in October 2019 and in Jefferson County in May 2021.  The insect was first reported in Morgan County in September 2021.

Washington and Frederick Counties were added to the Maryland quarantine list for spotted lanternfly in January 2022. Washington, Frederick, Carroll and Baltimore Counties in Maryland and Baltimore City are considered heavily infested as of May 2024. Allegany and Montgomery County are moderately infested.

Winchester and northern Frederick County, Virginia and the state of Pennsylvania have huge populations of the insect.

Agriculture officials have deep concerns that if the insect is allowed to spread that it could severely impact the country’s grape orchards, fruit trees, plant nurseries, ornamental trees and forest industries.

States are asking for the public’s help in watching for the insect and stopping its spread.

In 17 states, 13 WV counties

Spotted lanternfly populations have currently been detected in these 17 states: Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Illinois, said James Watson, West Virginia Department of Agriculture Spotted Lanternfly Program Coordinator.

The insect has been confirmed in 13 West Virginia counties –Morgan, Berkeley, Jefferson, Hampshire, Mineral, Hardy, Grant, Monongalia, Taylor, Marshall, Ohio, Brooke and Hancock Counties as of November 2023.

Watson said that no other state counties had been confirmed with populations of spotted lanternfly as of September 17, but that could change any day.

“They’re much more mobile this time of year in the adult phase,” Watson said.

Berkeley and Jefferson Counties are heavily infested, while Hampshire County is similar to Morgan County.

“Mostly where the tree-of-heaven growth is, is where the increase is,” he said.

 Morgan County

Earlier reports in Morgan County were mostly from the southern part of the county outside of Berkeley Springs with a few sightings in Great Cacapon and western Morgan County.

Watson said that northeastern Route 9 corridor between Berkeley Springs and Hedgesville is being hit pretty hard and is heavily infested. Private homeowners are being inundated by the pests. Black mold is everywhere along the road, he said.

The spotted lanternfly sucks the sap out of stems and branches, weakening plants, causing stunted growth and reduced yield, even killing the plants.   Their feeding leaves behind a sticky residue called honeydew that encourages a black, sooty mold to grow that can also cause plant damage.

Watson said that the increasing spotted lanternflies population in Morgan County is due to the explosive population of spotted lanternflies found in the surrounding counties of Berkeley County, Washington County, Maryland and Frederick County, Virginia.

Egg masses

In winter the adult spotted lanternfly moths are dead, but people can help by checking for egg masses.  They can be found on trees, vehicles, stone surfaces, playground equipment, brick, trailers, outdoor equipment, patio and lawn furniture and other smooth surfaces.  Check materials before transporting them to another area, especially if they’ve been stored outdoors.

Spotted lanternflies congregate in the fall on tree trunks in groups of 15 to 20 to lay their egg masses. Newer egg masses will have a gray putty-like covering on top of them.  Older egg masses look like four to seven columns of 30 to 50 brown seed-like clusters. Eggs hatch in the spring and early summer.

The egg masses can survive over the winter and are viable from about October to July.  A single egg mass can hold 30 to 50 eggs so people should eliminate as many egg masses as possible.

At-risk trees and plants

Spotted lanternfly feeds on a wide variety of over 70 plants, crops and trees.  Those at risk include almonds, apples, apricots, basil, blueberries, birch, cherries, cucumber, grapes, hickories, hops, horseradish, maples, nectarines, oaks, peaches, pine trees, plum, poplar, sycamores, walnut and willow trees.

The adult and juvenile lanternflies called nymphs prefer to feed on the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima).

In West Virginia and surrounding regions, the main trees and plants of concern are grapes, the Virginia creeper, red maple, silver maple, black walnut, sumac and other maples.

People should remove the invasive plant host tree-of-heaven around their home and property.  It is now a common weed that spreads rapidly.

Look-alike plants

There are other beneficial plants that look similar to the Tree-of-Heaven such as black walnut, sumac and butternut, Watson said. The alternate compound leaflets on each of the trees’ leaves are similarly shaped, but each has a slightly different shape, pointed tip and number of leaflets.

  According to a West Virginia Department of Agriculture flyer, Tree-of-Heaven leaves can have 11-41 leaflets.  It only has a few leaflets at its base with teeth-the rest are smooth.

How to help

Residents should: 1) make sure they’re not transporting egg masses; 2) use an object to smash the egg masses they find and crush them; and 3) learn to identify the tree of heaven and cut it down.  Apply herbicide on the fresh-cut stalks right after cutting so they don’t sprout back. Don’t allow any green parts to grow because they’re feeding the tree-of-heaven plant and it’s not going to die, Watson said. Mow the area regularly.

Lanternfly egg masses.

Residents should scrape the egg masses from surfaces, removing all the eggs from underneath the coating and double bag and smash them, then submerge the eggs in a plastic bag of alcohol or hand sanitizer. Use an old credit card, putty knife, screwdriver or similar item for scraping.

Weakens plants

According to information from the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, the trees that the spotted lanternfly feeds on develop weeping wounds with the areas of sap attracting other insects like wasps, hornets and ants.

The spotted lanternfly feeding damage could kill plants and trees especially if combined with stressors such as drought, disease and other pests.

If you find signs of the spotted lanternfly on your property, notify your county extension office or your state Department of Agriculture.

Residents should kill all adult spotted lanternflies that they can.   Spray spotted lanternfly with a solution of 10% dish soap and 90% water to kill them. Watch for the nymphs in the spring.

Report sightings

In West Virginia, report spotted lanternfly sightings to the West Virginia Department of Agriculture at 304-558-2212 or e-mail photos of suspected spotted lanternflies or infestations to bugbusters@wvda.us.

For Maryland, if you see egg masses or insects that look like the spotted lanternfly, contact the Maryland Department of Agriculture at (410) 841-5920 or report it on their website at https://mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/pages/spotted-lantern-fly.aspx.

For Pennsylvania, call the Penn State Extension Office hotline at 1-888-422-3359 (1-888-4BAD-FLY) or report a sighting on the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture website at https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plants_Land_Water/PlantIndustry/Entomology/spotted_lanternfly/Pages/default.aspx.

For Virginia, report a spotted lanternfly to this link: https://vce.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0fdsQXRg8TO8uzk. In Winchester and Frederick County, the spotted lanternfly is well established, and there is no need to report.

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