The year 2020 has been quite a year. We’ve had COVID-19; bunny ebola; locusts; mysterious seeds. It seems like everywhere you turn, there’s another thing to be wary of. Now, there’s something new: invasive bugs sweeping their way through New Jersey.
Invasive Bugs Swarm New Jersey
Eight counties in New Jersey–Warren, Hunterdon, Mercer, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem, and Somerset–have been placed under quarantine. Surprisingly, it’s not because of COVID. Instead, an invasive species of bugs have infected New Jersey.
These bugs are known as Spotted Lanternflies, and they are one nasty customer.
If you’re in one of the counties already quarantined, The New Jersey Department of Agriculture says you don’t need to contact them. However, residents in counties not yet infected should call or email into the department, so they can be aware of a potential spread. (1, 2)
The Invasive Spotted Lanternfly
The Spotted Lanternfly, scientifically named Lycorma delicatula is an “invasive planthopper,” according to the Penn State website. Though the bugs originated in Asia, they were first spotted in the United States in 2014, moving through Pennsylvania. (3)
The Life Cycle
The Spotted Lanternfly each have one ‘brood’ per year. The mothers lay eggs on any hard, outdoor surface they can find, in the fall. This can be natural objects, like trees and rocks, or man-made, like a deck, the siding of a home, or outdoor equipment. The eggs will appear to be covered in a mudlike substance, and there is usually between 30 and 50 eggs in a batch. These eggs will then hatch in the spring. (3)
Nymphal Stages
There are 4 “nymphal” stages, which are the bug’s childhood, so to speak. For the first three, the bugs are black with white dots, but right before they reach adulthood, the Spotted Lanternfly becomes red, with white dots and black lines. (3)
Adulthood
The bugs reach adulthood by July, when they gain the ability to fly. They’re quite large, over an inch in length, with black bodies. However, since they keep their wings closed unless they’re flying, you’ll hardly ever see those bodies. The wings are gray, with black tips. The tips have grayish “veins” and the main wing has black spots. (3)
The Danger Of Invasion
According to Fox News, “spotted lanternflies will cause serious damage to trees and wreak havoc for N.J. farmers, specifically for those growing grapes, hops and apples,” if people don’t take action to prevent the spread. They feed on 70 different varieties of plants.
According to Penn State, Spotted Lanternflies do not kill whatever they touch. However, it is easier for them to kill “grapevines, tree-of-heaven, and some tree saplings.”
Additionally, these invasive bugs are “a plant stressor that, in combination with other stressors (e.g., diseases, weather), can cause significant damage to host plants.” (3, 4)
“Join The Battle, Beat the Bug(s)”
There are several different methods you can use to reduce the number of these invasive pests. Unlike some other infestations, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture requests people to get involved. It’s too late in the season for egg scraping, so instead, try a tree trap to catch these guys. (2, 3)
