TRENTON, NJ (December 2019)–The State of New Jersey is warning the public once again about the dangerously invasive spotted lanternfly. It has been found in Camden, Cape May, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Burlington, Salem, Somerset and Warren counties. State officials say that Cape May and Gloucester counties are among the newest additions to the list.
Spotted Lanternfly Background
• Detected on September 22, 2014 in Berks County Pennsylvania
• Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) is a plant hopper, Lycorma delicatula (white) belonging to the family Fulgoridae in the order Hemiptera (true bugs).
• Makes use of over 70 different plant species, including fruit trees, ornamental trees, woody trees, vegetables, herbs and vines. Strongly prefers the invasive “Tree of Heaven”
Damage
• Like most hemipterans, SLF feeds on plants using their sucking and piercing mouthparts to extract plant sap.
• Adults and nymphs feed on phloem tissues of young stems with their piercing and sucking mouthparts and excrete large quantities of liquid (honeydew).
• Feeding creates weeping wounds
• Honeydew facilitates the growth of sooty mold
• Weeping Sap attracts activity from hymenopteran such as wasps, hornets, ants, bees etc.
• Impacts quality of outdoor life for everyone
MORE INFORMATION HERE