The now dreaded lanternfly season is upon Americans and officials are alerting the public on how to avoid the pesky spotted pest this summer.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) told the country to be on the lookout specifically for spotted lanternfly eggs and to destroy them immediately.
Early detection of the annoying bugs’ eggs is of critical importance, according to USDA, emphasizing Americans should kill any fuzzy brown-colored spotted lanternfly eggs that can be found on vehicles, trailers, outdoor equipment or even patio furniture.
Hatching season takes place between May and June, according to New York State Integrated Pest Management, affording time now to sniff out the spotted lanternflies’ eggs before they takeover your backyard or town and cause notable damage.
Native to southeast Asia, spotted lanternflies caused $550 million in damages to crops and plants in Pennsylvania in 2019, according to Nature.
Known as a force to be reckoned with once their eggs hatch, spotted lanternflies feed on crops like apples and grapes, and hardwood trees.
“Inspect your vehicle and packed items for lanternfly egg masses, nymphs, and adults — and destroy these life stages of the pest to stop them from spreading,” USDA stated.
“The pest leaves behind a sticky, sugary residue called honeydew that attracts other insects and promotes sooty mold growth which can further damage the plant,” they added.
The spotted lanternflies are said to be prone “swarm feeders” of grapes and are a serious issue for farmers.
A Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences study said up to 400 adult spotted lanternflies per vine were reported on grapes.
“Feeding by a population this high has been shown to weaken the vine, leading to loss of winter hardiness, reduced or no return bloom or crop, and even vine death,” research showed.
The tiny bug wreaked havoc in the Big Apple around the summer of 2022, with many New Yorkers noticing the invasive species jumping and flitting around all over them.
The USDA included New York on the list of 16 states as new hot spots for the invasive species — which was first detected in the US in Pennsylvania in 2014.
