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| A side-top view of an adult spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) Image by Walthery - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 |
Usually, I am writing here about things that are endangered or threatened in New Jersey, but thi spost is about a species we would like to see become extinct.
The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is a planthopper that is indigenous to parts of China, India, Vietnam, and eastern Asia. Although it has two pairs of wings, it jumps more than it flies.
In its native habitat it is kept in check by natural predators or pathogens but it was accidentally introduced and was first recorded in the United States in September 2014. By 2018 it was considered an invasive species in eastern Pennsylvania, southwestern New Jersey, northern Delaware, northern Virginia, and eastern Maryland.
What should you do if you spot one in New Jersey?
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| Egg masses |
If you see egg masses (pictured above), scrape them off, double bag them and throw them away. You can also place the eggs into alcohol, bleach or hand sanitizer to kill them.
Watch an instructional video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoFp_MbDiE8
Kill and collect a specimen: Specimens of any life stage can be turned in to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s lab for verification.
Take a picture: With your GPS function turned on your smartphone or a camera with GPS, take a photograph of ANY life stage (including egg masses) and
submit picture to: SLF-plantindustry@ag.nj.gov
Report a site: If you can’t take a specimen or photograph, call New Jersey Spotted Lanternfly Hotline at 1-833-223- 2840 (BADBUG0) and leave a message detailing your sighting and contact information.
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