On Saturday August 26, I spotted a colorful Spotted Lanternfly flying around inside the Palmer Avenue Stop’n Shop in New Rochelle, right in front of the cheese section. A fearless shopper swatted the invader to the floor and squished it under her foot.
How did this invasive species arrive in the store, or anywhere else, and how dangerous is it?
According to the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University, the species –native to China– was first discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014 and is now a threat throughout much of the U.S. It is of great concern primarily to agriculture, especially to hardwood trees, and vineyards, as well as hops, apples, blueberries and stone fruits. So the Stop’n Shop invader was definitely looking in the wrong store aisle. Should have been in the produce section.
Kidding aside, the fly lays its eggs on almost any hard surface, including stones and metal. So maybe it traveled into the store on a metal shopping cart. The egg masses may be transported without anyone realizing it. A nymph stage fly appeared on my backyard deck recently which is the first time I had seen one.
While feeding on trees or produce, the flies excrete a sticky honeydew substance that can create a moldy residue. Their feeding can cause plants to wilt, defoliate, and eventually die.
If you find one of these flies, experts say you should take a picture and note the location. You can also collect the insect in a jar or freeze it in a bag, if possible, and then take a picture. Send an email with your information to: spottedlaternfly@agriculture.ny.gov
More information is available from the PennState Extension Service here.
I live in New Rochelle. I have seen and tried to kill everyone I saw. So I have seen them at the Mosholu Golf course in the Bronx, I have seen them around my property, Saxon Woods golf course and Sprain Lake golf course. There has to be a a state wide effort to kill and eradicate them or all of our trees are going to be dead.
The Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus Altissima) is the ideal plant host for the fly so if you have one of those trees consider removing it. Another less drastic step is to use circle traps,but not sticky traps. The circle traps work best mouted to specimen trees. If you see flies in shrubs or vines,however, as a last resort, you can use insecticidal soap or other contact pesticides but not around children or pets.
I don’t think taking a picture and noting the location is going to help anything. Stomp on it like the lady in the store did. How about some tips for eradicating them!