By Cathy Terwedow
Yet another invasive species is winging its way to our beautiful Becket. This time it’s the spotted lanternfly (SLF), a native of China that hitched a ride into Pennsylvania in 2014 on a shipment of crushed stone.
I first encountered this pest in mid-January while hiking in Worcester. Ahead of me on the trail were two Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) employees awkwardly reaching long poles high into the treetops, so I stopped to talk to them.
Using binoculars they scan the bottoms of branches for the telltale gray egg masses. Once spotted, they use telescoping poles to reach the branches and scrape off the eggs. It’s difficult work!
“The threat to economic crops is serious enough that Massachusetts has three government organizations surveying high-risk areas for SLF,” they said as they handed me a laminated “Have you spotted a lanternfly?” identification card that could be used to scrape egg masses from trees.
First seen in Massachusetts in 2021, SLF breeding populations are now found in locations around the Commonwealth, especially around Springfield, Worcester, and throughout MetroWest. Last year an infestation was discovered in Westfield. The lanternfly, also known as a lantern moth, is neither a fly nor a moth. It’s a type of plant hopper. As such, it does not bite or sting. Instead, it’s a sapsucker that wreaks havoc on more than 100 types of plants, potentially becoming a serious agricultural pest. “Spotted lanternfly is currently one of our top invasive-species-management priorities,” said MDAR Commissioner John Lebeaux.
SLF is visually striking, especially when the lower, bright-orange wings are exposed. The adults are about an inch long and half an inch wide.
Preferred hosts are tree-of-heaven, grapevines, fruit trees, hops, and shade and forest trees such as black walnut, beech, birch, and maple. The sticky “honeydew” produced by SLF accumulates near locations where the insects feed, including plants, vehicles, and yard furniture. Extremely difficult to wash off, the honeydew attracts stinging insects and leads to the growth of a pungent-smelling fungus known as sooty mold that can further damage plants.
As of this writing there are no known sightings of SLF in Becket; but their range is expanding, so vigilance is critical. If you see (or suspect you’ve seen) a spotted lanternfly, submit a photo to massnrc.org/pests/slf or email slf@mass.gov. There is more information at mass.gov/spotted-lanternfly.
