

“Spotted Lanternflies threaten our quality of life outdoors and destroy valuable products that feed our economy,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said in a statement Friday. The Agriculture Department said the insecticide will not be used near water or flowering plants and it will conduct regular environmental sampling to monitor impacts. GardenTech brands Sevin Insect Killer line offers two highly effective products to kill spotted lanternfly juveniles and adults by contact and keep protecting. only be treated with specific insecticides and at specific times during the. The active ingredient of the insecticide, bifenthrin, is highly toxic to fish and bees. OVERVIEWThe spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive planthopper (a type of. Lanternflies primarily spread by hitching rides on vehicles traveling out of infested areas, officials said. (AP) - Pennsylvania has started spraying insecticide on spotted lanternflies, a new strategy that state officials are using in an attempt to slow the spread of the invasive pest.Ĭrews using backpack sprayers and truck-mounted spray equipment are spraying the bugs along railways, interstates and other transportation rights-of-way, the state Department of Agriculture said Friday.

These are called bad bugs for a reason, don’t let them take over your county next,” the Pennsylvania agriculture department statement said.HARRISBURG, Pa. “In the fall, these bugs will lay egg masses with 30-50 eggs each.

Larger infestations are treated with insecticide. “More than 800 acres of agricultural lands including vineyards, orchards and berry farms are at risk of being infested, so it’s critical that we take the necessary steps to detect and stop the spread of this invasive pest,” Cynthia Kwolek, spokesperson for the division of agriculture, said.Īnybody who spots one of the insects, which have gray forewings black spots and hind wings with contrasting red and black patches, is requested to contact state agriculture officials. In Rhode Island, where spotted lanternflies have not been previously recorded, authorities have reacted quickly to the sighting of a single insect in the city of Warwick. PBI-Gordon Corporation recently issued Section 2(ee) recommendations for use of Zylam® Liquid Systemic Insecticide for the control of Spotted Lanternfly. State scientists say the pests are “a huge threat” to Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry, potentially impacting hundreds of millions of dollars of crops and hundreds of thousands of jobs. “In counties infested and quarantined for spotted lanternfly, residents report hundreds of these bad bugs that affect their quality of life and ability to enjoy the outdoors during the spring and summer months.” “The mold is harmless to people, however it causes damage to plants,” the Pennsylvania guidance says. The restrictions extend to outdoor items such as grills, furniture, fire pits and even mobile homes. Examples listed below are some of the available insecticide products containing the most effective ingredients studied (dinotefuran, imidacloprid, carbaryl. Under quarantine rules, residents and businesses are prohibited from moving articles that may harbor the insects or their eggs, including landscaping materials, trees and plants, construction waste and pots, pallets and crates. Pennsylvania is among the worst-affected states with 34 counties under a quarantine order, eight added for the first time this year.

At least five states have reported infestations and four more have recorded the presence of the nuisance flying creatures, which experts say first arrived from China between seven and 10 years ago and which are currently feasting their way through the region on crops of apples, grapes and hops, and destroying native trees such as maple, walnut and willow.Īccording to the US department of agriculture’s invasive species information center, the insects – which can grow to about an inch in length and have an appearance similar to a moth – pose “a serious economic threat to multiple US industries, including viticulture, fruit trees, ornamentals and timber”.Īs well as their destruction of plants, spotted lanternflies excrete a pervasive substance called honeydew that turns moldy and coats anything it comes into contact with, such as vehicles and children’s play equipment.
