Witness Post: Spotted Lanternfly
Look, they are butterflies, no moths, no bees? Wrong again. These colorful fliers were all over New York, during August, 2023, slamming into windows as high as the 24th floor. What are they and where did they come from?
Called the spotted lanternfly this insect is a plant-hopper indigenous to parts of China and Vietnam. It has spread invasively across the globe to countries such as Japan, South Korea, and the United States. In cities like New York it has created an infestation of huge proportions. This bug is a crop destroyer, especially grapes, fruit trees, and softwood trees. It has caused $millions of damage to crops in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and other states it has invaded.
The authorities are urging citizens to kill these pests on the spot! There are many ways to kill a spotted lanternfly. One way is the classic stomp: raising a foot high above the insect before hammering it into the sidewalk and hopefully flattening the distinctive bug. Then there are the more standard insect-squishing techniques, such as the rolled-up magazine swat, the hand smack, the paper towel splat. Another is the shoe-swinging method, in which New Yorkers sacrificially tread barefoot on city streets so as to use their footwear as killing instruments.
People across all five boroughs of NYC have dutifully followed the city’s directive to kill the invasive insects on sight. But is it working? So far this year, the bugs have been documented riding the subway, littering streets and even infiltrating apartments, evidence of a trend that experts anticipated: New York City’s lanternfly problem is getting worse.
While the grass-roots effort is not likely to significantly curb the lanternfly population, experts said, it can help raise public awareness of the problem while scientists seek a lasting solution. In short: Keep stomping.[1]
[1] The lanternfly article referenced in this post is from The Wall Street Journal. It was written by Ann Marie Fertoli on August 21, 2023 https://www.wsj.com/news/author/annmarie-fertoli
Henry E. Hooper 