Journal archives for September 2020

September 8, 2020

Spotted Lanternfly - The US' New & Dangerous Invasive Insect

Lycorma delicatula, also known as the Spotted Lanternfly, was accidentally introduced into the United States in 2014, and has slowly been spreading from Southeastern Pennsylvania into neighboring states. This insect feeds on fruit and hardwood trees as well as grapevines and poses many threats to our economy. Its favorite tree, Ailanthus altissima or the Tree of Heaven, is an extremely invasive plant found in many states all over the US. It has no natural predators here, so its populations are exploding, and you may see thousands of them covering your trees or backyards.

Being at the epicenter of this "outbreak" has been really interesting for me. I'm really fascinated by the insect, its behaviors and watching it spread on iNaturalist. In my opinion, it's super cool to observe native and naturalized wildlife "adapt" to a new insect. Lastly, I've enjoyed learning about other similar-looking planthoppers, such as those in the genus Pyrops - they are so unique, colorful and quite amazing!

To raise awareness about this insect and the potential damage it is capable of imposing, I've created an informative YouTube video. In this video, I cover their life cycle from egg to nymph to adult stages. I present on their diet and why they are such an invasive, dangerous insect that will inevitably spread throughout the country. Lastly, I show you all 7-8 different ways to trap, kill or get rid of them. A special thanks to many iNat users, who allowed me to use their beautiful photography in the video. Hopefully this helps and good luck combating them in your area!

Posted on September 8, 2020 09:49 PM by conboy conboy | 2 comments | Leave a comment

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