Spotted Lanternfly Sightings in Pennsylvania Jump Fivefold Compared to Last Year

By

The best way to combat spotted lanternfly during its current nymph stage is using manual methods such as sticky bands, circle traps, and squishing.

Statewide reports of spotted lanternfly sightings this year are up by nearly 500 percent compared to last year, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, writes Layla A. Jones for the Billy Penn.

From the beginning of January to the middle of July, Pennsylvania residents have reported 33,015 sightings of the invasive insect, compared to 5,603 for the same period last year. The largest share of these came from Philadelphia, followed by Delaware and Montgomery counties.

However, it is still unclear if the sharp uptick is proof of a more severe spotted lanternfly season or if it is the result of higher awareness among residents and more leisure time spent outside due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s a tremendous challenge to figure out whether it’s an increase in population or just an increase in awareness of the insect,” said the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture spokesperson Shannon Powers. “We know for a fact that awareness has increased.”

The department will probably not know what the potential uptick could be attributed to before next year since researches rely on data collected during the prime adult season for the insect, which is in fall.

Read more about spotted lanternfly at the Billy Penn by clicking here.

You Might Also Like                            

Best Methods for Combating Spotted Lanternfly During Nymph Stage

Pennsylvania Program Issues Citizen-Science Challenges to Identify, Map Spotted Lanternfly

Forbes: Harleysville Teen Wins $10,000 Lemelson Award for Spotted Lanternfly Invention

Stay Connected, Stay Informed

Subscribe for great stories in your community!

"*" indicates required fields

Hidden
MT Yes
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Advertisement