Despite millions of dollars in federal spending and years of mitigation efforts, swarms of spotted lanternflies continue their descent across the United States in numbers so dense they were recently detected on weather radars on the East Coast.
Lanternflies have now infested at least 19 states according to the Department of Agriculture, underscoring how difficult it is to stop an invasive pest once it takes hold. They feed on 70 plant species, with vineyards facing the greatest danger.
“The spotted lanternfly is the biggest problem we’ve seen since the spongy moth or the emerald ash borer,” said Kelli Hoover, an entomology professor at Pennsylvania State University.
As lanternflies continue to rain down on farms, urban streets and backyards, their persistence is raising questions about whether containment is even possible. Experts advise the public to kill the insects whenever possible, as they are an invasive species that feeds on and eventually destroys grapevines and other crops essential to the U.S. agricultural economy.
