‘A Serious Threat’: Dreaded Pest Eggs Found In CA For First Time

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Score one for the California Border Protection Inspection team.

Back on March 27, a truck was intercepted and rejected by the station at Truckee, near Lake Tahoe, when 11 viable Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) egg masses were found hiding in a shipment from New York, one of 18 states where the insect is a problem. The truck was turned around and sent back to Nevada, where an additional 30 egg masses were found. The truck and the art installation it was carrying were power-washed, removing all of the egg masses. The truck was reinspected and allowed to enter California.

This is the first time that spotted lanternflies eggs have been confirmed in California.

According to the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) the truck was destined for Sonoma County. The association is sounding the alarm now because it fears other egg masses may have slipped through.

The eggs hatch in May and June, so CAWG is asking people to be on the lookout for the pest, native to Asia and first found in the U.S. in 2014.

"Spotted lanternflies have been found in 18 states and have proven to pose a serious threat to vineyards," said Natalie Collins, President of the California Association of Winegrape Growers. "These invasive insects feed on the sap of grapevines, while also leaving behind a sticky honeydew residue on the clusters and leaves. Their activities stress the plants, decrease vine health, and in some cases, can lead to plant death.”

CAWG applauds the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) inspection station teams for their efforts in inspecting loads entering the state. SLF egg masses can look like cakes of mud and are transported on trailers, RVs, semi-trucks, containers, trains, and other forms of shipping and transportation.

At rest, like the one pictured above, the SLF is a dull tan-gray color with black spots. But during flight, the adult’s open wings reveal a bright red, black, and white pattern, which explains its name.

In addition to the grape industry, the U.S. Agriculture Department says the SLF poses a serious threat to the nation’s orchard and logging industries.

The state of New York tells residents to kill the pests by stepping on them or crushing them.

Here in California, if you think that you see a spotted lanternfly, the state wants you to capture, photograph and report it, so that a possible infestation can be confirmed and stopped before it gets out of control. See the graphic above for ways to report the pests.

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