New Jersey targets trees that host invasive spotted lanternfly
Sheri BerkeryPALMYRA - Wildlife sightings are a given during walks around the undisturbed natural habitats of Palmyra Cove in Burlington County.
Deer, groundhogs, dozens of butterflies and other animals dart through clearings at the 250-acre nature preserve.
But the sighting of a single insect — the invasive spotted lanternfly — has brought attention from the New Jersey and U.S. agriculture departments.
"One individual was found here and collected and it was sent to the USDA," said Kristina Merola, director of natural sciences and park manager at Palmyra Cove.
That was back in November. The United States Department of Agriculture followed up with an inspection, finding and removing a spotted lanterfly egg mass on a perimeter trail, Merola said.
Then last week, as the insects' hatching season approaches, crews from the NJDA began working in Palmyra Cove, the vast labyrinth of wetlands and woodlands beneath the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge.
They're marking Ailanthus trees — also known as the tree of heaven — which are a crucial host for the spotted lanterfly species. State crews are then treating the trees with herbicide, Merola said.
"They are considered to be weed trees on the edges, not in the woods," she said, adding that treating the trees "won't decrease our tree cover at all."
The targeting of host trees is key to New Jersey's aggressive new strategy for fighting an intruder that poses a threat to entire agricultural industries.
"Our goal is to stop and eliminate the spotted lanternfly in New Jersey," the NJDA said in a statement.
What's a spotted lanternfly?
The exotic-looking bug is native to Asia, as is the tree of heaven that hosts it. Adult insects are about 1 inch long, and feature a black head, grayish black spotted forewings and reddish black spotted hind wings, according to according to Rutgers' New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. The first U.S. spotted lanternfly sighting was in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 2014.
It's easy to inadvertently transport the bugs, which feast on a variety of produce. They're plant hoppers — and also can hitch a ride on your car. Because egg masses are laid on smooth surfaces and look like a patch of mud, it's very likely that they could go unnoticed on outdoor items, building materials and even bikes and scooters, according to NJ officials.
What's the big deal?
"The spotted lanternfly is known to feed on 70 different types of trees, fruit, vegetables and grains. So far there has been almost no impact on agriculture in New Jersey," the NJDA said in a response to the Courier-Post.
Grapes and hops are particularly vulnerable. The liquid emitted by the spotted lanternfly allows the growth of sooty mold that makes the fruit unmarketable. The grape harvest can be decreased by 75 to 90 percent, according to the NJDA.
Where have the insects been seen in NJ?
Spotted lanternfly sightings have been reported in the following counties:
- Hunterdon
- Mercer
- Warren
- Salem
- Burlington
- Somerset
Hunterdon, Mercer and Warren counties are under an NJDA quarantine, meaning businesses and individuals are required to fill out a checklist that indicates they've inspected recreation or camping items, building materials, and garden equipment before moving them.
The sightings in Salem and western Somerset counties "have been in isolated areas," according to the NJDA.
In Burlington County, where NJDA crews are working in Palmyra Cove, another sighting was reported in Westampton, according to the county's public information officer, Nicholas Gangemi.
Palmyra Borough Administrator John Gural acknowledged he didn't know much about the spotted lanternfly before NJDA staff approached him. Workers wanted to get in touch with two businesses whose properties prompted spotted lanternfly concerns.
"The south side of Route 73 closest to the (Delaware) River is largely undeveloped and wooded," he said.
Now that he's aware of the invasive insects, Gural will be on the lookout too.
"As long as they stay out of my tomato gardens," he said.
Merola, the Palmyra Cove director, said staff at the nature park will do their part to halt the bugs.
"We try as much as we can to keep invasive species out of the park," she said.
The spotted lanternfly doesn't have to travel far to get to the Cove, Merola pointed out.
"We are right across from Philadelphia and all these counties in Pennsylvania have it."
Fourteen of the state's 67 counties — including Philadelphia — are under a spotted lanternfly quarantine.
What's being done?
The NJDA is going straight to the source of the spotted lanternfly's nourishment.
"The spotted lanternfly needs the tree of heaven to grow into a mature adult, that’s why these trees are being treated," the department states. "We are hiring 15 crews, to go with four USDA crews, to survey areas around the state and also go to sites where the spotted lanternfly is reported."
On a more local level, Burlington County's Gangemi said awareness is the strategy for now.
"We are currently not taking any measures other than when the inspectors are out looking and treating for mosquitoes that they keep an eye out for it," he said in an email.
State officials also are turning to the public to help spot the damaging insects.
Anyone who thinks they see a spotted lanternfly or a spotted lanternfly egg mass to destroy them first if possible, and then email SLF-plantindustry@ag.nj.gov or call 1-833-223-2840 (BADBUG0) to provide the exact location.
Sheri Berkery: @SheriBerkery; 856-486-2673; sberkery@gannettnj.com
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