On the Tuesday, September 15th LSNY walk, a Spotted Lanternfly was seen at the Evodia Field, in Central Park.
Spotted Lanternfly pose a significant threat to New York’s agricultural and forest health. Adults and nymphs use their sucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of more than 70 plant species. This feeding by sometimes thousands of Spotted Lanternfly stresses plants, making them vulnerable to disease and attacks from other insects. Spotted Lanternfly also excrete large amounts of sticky “honeydew,” which attracts sooty molds that interfere with plant photosynthesis, negatively affecting the growth and fruit yield of plants. New York’s annual yield of apples and grapes, with a combined value of $358.4 million, could be impacted if Spotted Lanternfly enters New York.
For more information on the Spotted Lanternfly, see the NYS DEC Website.
To learn how to identify them, watch this short video,
If you believe you’ve found spotted lanternfly in New York:
- Take pictures of the insect, egg masses and/or infestation signs as described above (include something for scale such as a coin or ruler) and email to spottedlanternfly@agriculture.ny.gov OR fill out the Department of Agriculture and Markets’ reporting form.
- Note the location (address, intersecting roads, landmarks or GPS coordinates).