Help preserve Delaware’s agriculture by learning more about Spotted Lanternflies

By Jennifer Antonik Delaware Farm Bureau

Have you noticed a strange new bug in your area? As black, turned red, spotted lanternfly nymphs grow into winged, jumping bugs many have never encountered before, the possibility of these creatures laying eggs across the state increases.

The Delaware Farm Bureau is urging the public to learn about the spotted lanternfly, kill it immediately and report it to Delaware’s Department of Agriculture which is keeping track of statewide sightings online at https://agriculture. delaware.gov/plant-industries/ spotted-lanternfly/.

According to the Department’s website, the spotted lanternfly isn’t just a threat to Delaware and the country, it “. . .is detrimental to Delaware’s agricultural industries, the environment, and residential areas, and has an impact on interstate commerce. This insect is a destructive, invasive plant hopper that attacks many hosts, including forests, ornamental trees, orchards, hops, and grapes.”

In its simplest form, a host of spotted lanternflies can deplete a tree or crop of its resources very quickly and leave residue all around the area which could then destroy nearby plants, as well.

The spotted lanternfly nymph starts as a black bug with white polka-dots and eight legs. As it grows during the nymph stage, the black turns to a bright red. Adult spotted lanternflies look very different, now sporting a striped body with two sets of wings - one will be tan in color with black spots, and one will be red with black spots and other designs.

Their egg cases can be difficult to spot, but important to destroy. They often meld into wooded or dirt areas with their light tan casings that oftentimes look more like a smudge of dirt. The eggs can be several inches long and an inch or two wide, according to the University of Delaware’s Cooperative Extension.

Killing this invasive species before it has the chance to lay eggs, or destroying the eggs when found, is critical to maintaining Delaware’s agriculture, forestry and other ecosystems.

Several things can be done at home to help mitigate the issue.

Call an expert

Pesticides and other remedies need to be applied by licensed pesticide professionals for which a list can be obtained on the Department of Agriculture’s website. They might also be able to look for eggs and set appropriate traps.

These are sometimes available to the general public and can come in the form of a soap and more broad-spectrum insecticides. It is important to understand, however, that the chemicals found in these products could cause damage to other living creatures in the nearby area. Read the labels carefully and follow the instructions closely.

There are some home remedies that have been helpful in killing spotted lanternflies such as spraying vinegar on the bugs. However, these remedies have not been studied and their effects on the nearby ecosystem are unknown.

Scrape eggs off and into a bag with rubbing alcohol. This action will remove the eggs safely and prevent them from hatching in the future. Dispose of the bag once collection is complete.

Spotted Lanternflies feed off of the tree of heaven as a tree of choice. The state of Delaware offers identification and eradication tips here: https://agriculture.delaware.gov/plant-industries/spotted-lanternfly-management/.

For more information about the Delaware Farm Bureau or to see more photos regarding the spotted lanternfly, visit www.defb.org.

Vanessa Gaines of Camden will receive the $1,000 Hubert Cannon Memorial Scholarship from Kent County Farm Bureau as she moves on to college.

Gaines graduated from Caesar Rodney High School earlier this year and plans on attending State University of New York's College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill to study canine training and management and equine assisted therapies.

During high school, she earned a State Degree while participating in the school's FFA chapter. She was also a two-year captain for the cross country team and spent one year as the captain for the softball team. She was also involved in the Math League, Chorale Choir, National Honor Society, 2023 club, Manship Chapel youth group, Manship Chapel adult choir and Westville

4-H Club where she acted as the secretary, vice president and president. She spent many years working for local farms or agricultural businesses, including EVO Family Farms and Haass' Family Butcher Shop.

Dathan Ivory Roland Garrison Memorial Scholarship from Kent County Farm Bureau

Dathan Ivory of Marydel will receive the $1,000 Roland Garrison Memorial Scholarship from Kent County Farm Bureau as he moves on to study sports management and ag business at the University of Delaware.

Ivory graduated from Caesar Rodney High School earlier this year where he was a member of the Blue & Gold Club, Sportsmanship Club and National Honor Society. He played on several sports teams and acted as captain, including the basketball, cross country and track teams. He was also involved with his church, Calvary United Methodist Church.

He spent summers working at local farms including Fifer's Orchard and Thomas Family Farm.