Help Stop the Spread of the Spotted Lanterfly
Posted: October 8, 2020
According to the Raritan Headwaters Association, the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is not a species of fly at all—it is actually a planthopper that feeds on the sap of trees and grapevines, often resulting in great damage.
They have certain key ecological traits: they have few natural predators in their new home; they are very prolific and reproduce quickly; and they are flexible in their ecological requirements such as food, habitat, and temperature tolerances.
Once established, the spotted lanternfly can wreak havoc on our native species, which have never had the chance to meet them and evolve to compete or defend themselves against these newly introduced species.