By: Katherine Lohse
Many of you have probably encountered a spotted lantern fly, either the adult version,
with thumb sized, gray and red wings with spots, or the baby version, little jumping bugs, that are painfully hard to get rid of. Lanternflies are commonly seen as annoying bugs, who stick on windshields, windows, clothes and more. In my experience, the lanternflies' quick reactions make it hard to kill them, and then end up flying on me, causing more of an inconvenience. Lanternflies are heavily invasive, and according to the USDA, they have already invaded at least 17 states. They have become a major threat to many ecosystems, and they have begun to impact agricultural economies.
Spotted lantern flies were brought over to the United States by goods transported from
South Korea and Japan. They are not native, and they have been able to grow intensely
through most East Coast states of the United States. Lanternflies are known to hop from place to place, and they are able to hang onto things tightly, with their planthopper traits. If you are someone trying to either get rid of them, or kill them, it can get pretty frustrating. They are one of the quickest moving invasive insects, moving over 15 states in just 7 years. Very quickly, observationalists have been able to see that lantern flies are flying through the United States, leaving a path of destruction in their wake.
These lanternflies reproduce each year, bringing a new generation into life each year.
Right as the jumpy creatures hatch, they begin to prey on all types of trees. Research shows they have a clear favorite, the Ailanthus tree, also known as the “tree of heaven”. Spotted lanternflies destroy trees by feeding on them, stabbing through the tree bark, consuming the sap. Then, the lanternflies leave a honeydew substance on the tree. The honeydew solution is the cause for mold, which attracts other harmful insects. The mold hurts the tree, stopping photosynthesis and overall growth. On flowering, fruitful trees, the mold changes the taste and look of the flowers and fruits.
With regards to the Ailanthus tree, the lanternflies' destruction may be helpful, because
the wonderful “tree of heaven” is another invasive, quick growing species. When chopped down, the extensive root system of the ailanthus tree quickly grows another sapling, but with the lanternflies destruction, many trees have been unable to reproduce. Unfortunately, the spotted lanternflies are not preying solely on invasives, they have been found to feed on many tree species, over 70 at the moment, including commonly loved species such as maple trees, oak trees, and apple trees.
Back to the destruction of the trees, when the lanternflies stunt the growth and
reproduction of trees, they affect the whole ecosystem. Many species have made habitats out of the trees, so birds, mammals, and reptiles have all been finding themselves without an adequate home. This causes a decline in the overall biodiversity and ecosystem health. Trees are hubs for animals and other plants including birds, squirrels, other insects and more. Trees are a source of food too, not only habitat, and with moldy, poor tasting fruits and leaves from the damages of lanternflies, many species lack proper nutrition, which causes them to have to migrate to new places, or simply die off and struggle.
While researching, I came across the interesting topic of consuming lanternflies. Back in areas where spotted lanternflies are native, people are commonly known to consume them, and United States research has not proven the spotted lanternfly to be toxic in any way to humans or animals. As mentioned before, the honeydew honey left behind from spotted lanternflies kills trees, and ruins the ecosystems, but for humans and bees this leftover substance is beneficial. Honeydew honey is left by many sap sucking insects, increasingly from the lanternflies, and this type of honey has proven to have health benefits for humans when consumed. It is a very strong antibacterial, and it’s commonly used to relieve colds, sore throats, caught and even diseases involving the respiratory system.
Although honeydew honey has some benefits, an array of other insects, specifically non invasive species are found to produce honeydew honey, so with the elimination of spotted lanternflies, people can still reap the benefits of honeydew. It has been decided in many of the invaded states that we need to prevent further spread of the spotted lanternflies. By educating people on the 4 life stages of the lanternflies we can hopefully kill and that we see out in the world. By finding eggs and destroying them (which you can do by placing them in plastic bags and filling them with hand sanitizer) you can stop part of the new generation of lanternflies. Simply checking your bags and cars when you travel places can also prevent the spread of lanternflies to other states or regions, but in general, killing the lanternflies when experiencing them is the best solution. In order to save the diversity and beauty of nature we have to stop the spread of the spotted lanternflies.
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