Lanternflies: A Menace To Society

In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, a new lanternfly epidemic has begun in the United States. Lanternflies are insects who can be easily distinguished by their black-spotted wings, and underlying red and block spotted wings. They primarily feast upon plants, such as trees, using their proboscis to drink the host’s sap; through continual draining of the host’s sap, the host will eventually die (Popular Science). Currently, lanternflies are known to feed on approximately seventy different plant species in the United States, most of which are important to the economy (Penn State Extension).

In the United States, lanternflies are considered an invasive species as they are native to India, China, and Vietnam, and not the United States. Regardless, they were first spotted in the United States in 2014 in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and have since continued to spread throughout Pennsylvania and its neighboring states at an alarming rate. As of July 2021, it was documented that lanternflies have spread throughout half of Pennsylvania, large portions of New Jersey, and smaller sections of New York, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Connecticut, Ohio, and Indiana (Popular Science). Furthermore, lanternflies have been able to spread throughout the United States quickly due to their egg-laying behavior. In the late summer and fall months, lanternflies begin to lay their eggs, which resemble mud smears, on tree trunks, cars, trucks, and other objects with smooth surfaces (Popular Science). As a result of lanternflies laying eggs on cars, trucks, and other vehicles, the eggs are transported to new places across the country. In these new locations, the eggs will then hatch and spread among the local flora, increasing the severity of the infestation.