'Stomp them': Maryland looks to kill spotted lanternfly

The spotted lanternfly may only grow to an inch in length, but it has the potential to wreak costly havoc on Maryland crops.

The invasive insect was first confirmed within Wicomico County's borders May 18 of this year, with nearby Sussex County, Delaware, going into spotted lanternfly quarantine this summer. In Maryland, the rest of the agricultural-heavy Eastern Shore is bracing for the spread.

Spotted lanternfly have brown wings with black spots, a torso with an orange or reddish hue also with black spots, and flanks of white stripes. In the nymph stage they are all black with white spots, and in the last nymph state they are red with white dots and black stripes.

Reports by the Maryland Department of Agriculture from last year suggest that a population existed in Wicomico County at that time, but was without confirmation until this spring.

Currently there is no proof of reproducing spotted flies in adjoining Somerset or Worcester counties. The department knows of a single, hitchhiking spotted fly in Wicomico County before its confirmed presence. These accounts are not sufficient evidence to conclude that a reproducing population exists. Hitchhiking species were reported in Worcester County from 2020-2022. There have also been reports of hitchhiking spotted lanternflies in Somerset County in 2021 and 2022.

That is why the Maryland Department of Agriculture is stepping up its fight through the use of billboards and public information campaigns to eradicate the species across the Eastern Shore.

"The species feeds on a wide variety of plants in North America. The department is concerned that the species poses a risk to the state's agro-businesses," said Kenton Sumpter, an entomologist in the office of Plant Protection and Weed Management, Spotted Lanternfly Program for the department.

"MDA is also concerned with the potential for the fly to spread to new areas. It has demonstrated a great capacity to hitchhike on vehicles along human pathways," he said.

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In 2018, Cecil County was the first location in Maryland to verify its arrival. Since then, Harford, Allegany, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Queen Anne, Washington and Wicomico counties, along with Baltimore City, have verified spotted lanternfly.

Farmers worried about the insect are right to do so. The department notes the species' presence could mean stunted growth of infected crops, localized damage and reduced yields by way of piercing mouthparts to suck sap from trunks and stems.

Crops and trees harmed by spotted lanterfly

Controlling the population starts with knowing their voracious eating habits.

"It feeds by inserting its proboscis into the vascular tissue of a plant. It draws sap out of the plant," Sumpter said. "This robs the plant of carbohydrate that it would otherwise sequester in its roots for winter survival. Grapes, for example, have shown reduced winter hardiness after being fed on. Additionally, crop yields from plants have been shown to be reduced after heavy feeding by the fly."

As the spotted lanternfly feeds, it excretes a sugary substance called honeydew, according to the department.

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"Honeydew is attractive to ants, wasps, and bees. Honeydew can develop an intense, rotten odor as it ferments. It is also readily colonized by black, sooty mold which can cover leaves and inhibit photosynthesis. Sooty mold can also cover manmade structures and can be difficult to remove," the department said.

It also noted the insect has been found on crops such as corn, soybeans and alfalfa, but they haven’t been observed feeding on these plants. The species can also severely impact the winter hardiness of grapes, which could put Maryland vineyards in its crosshairs.

Spotted lanternflies are not poisonous, don't sting, bite or transmit diseases, and "they've been shown to not cause plant death," Sumpter told the Herald-Mail. There could be damage to plant leaves and some trees could experience yellowing of extended branches, but not the die-back seen with pests like emerald ash borer or spongy moths.

According to Sumpter,the state is host to an extensive network of interstate roads and railways. Commerce from the Port of Baltimore draws trucking from across the eastern seaboard. Marylanders also frequently commute long distances to reach work and recreation.

"All of these transportation pathways increase the likelihood that species will disperse to new areas. The increasingly warmer climatic conditions also facilitate an expanded range for the lanternfly. Limited winter mortality means more eggs survive to hatch in the spring," Sumpter said.

How to get ride of spotted lanternfly

The current plan of action according to the state department of agriculture? You can trap them, kill them by hand or use commercial insecticide, if your property qualifies to have a certified member of the state to spray for them.

The common advice to the public to "stomp them" on sight is an understatement — it is more like squishing a spotted lanterfly until you are sure it's dead and removing the individual bugs. Larvae might require spraying .

The state asks that you report spotted lanternfly sightings to better track their movement.

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While the state says there is currently no residential spray programs, it does offer very "narrow" exceptions.

For those less inclined to kill the species, there are also options including trapping.

"Traps are passive systems that can provide continuous control. They will need to be maintained. They can be erected as soon as early instar nymphs​ hatch, through until the end of the adult stage. Traps are ineffective once the adults have died off," the department said on its website.

Commercial traps are available, while do-it-yourself options are available for sale on the internet.

A list of state-licensed applicators can be found on the Maryland Department of Agriculture website​.

Cost of damages

While there has not been a comprehensive study on the cost of the damage by the invasive species, Pennsylvania did conduct a review of its financial impact.

In 2020, the economic damage from the insect was $50.1 million a year and a loss of 484 agricultural jobs in the southeastern part of the state. The maximum projected losses facing the state after a slower than aggressive response totaled $554 million a year and almost 5,000 agricultural jobs.

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The average cost to a homeowner using topical and systematic insecticides for trees infected by lanternfly could be up to $1,000 or more depending on the number of trees being treated.

In Delaware

The invasive species of insect native to Eastern Asia was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has since been confirmed in Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

In Delaware, established populations of the destructive insect have been found in Georgetown, Milford, Seaford, Ocean View and Rehoboth Beach, according to the Delaware Department of Agriculture.

Sussex County was the latest to join quarantine, making the entire state a spotted lanternfly quarantine zone. The insect first showed up in New Castle County in 2017. The northernmost county was quarantined in 2019, and Kent County in 2020.

Quarantine is used for "any person conducting business for a commercial company, a municipality or a government agency that requires movement of any regulated item within or from the quarantine area must have a permit," the statement said.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Invasive spotted lanternfly invades Wicomico County, Maryland