Spotted Lanternfly 'In High Numbers' In Hudson Valley

HIGHLAND, NY — The Hudson Valley Research Laboratory, which is part of Cornell AgriTech, said the invasive spotted lanternfly is now “in high numbers” in the Hudson Valley.

Researchers at the Highland facility are working to identify effective strategies to fight the spotted lanternfly that the region’s growers can use in their orchards and vineyards.

The insect is easy to kill, said C. Andres Antolinez, an entomologist and senior research associate at the Hudson Valley Research Laboratory.

“The problem is the huge population number,” he said. “They are very difficult to control because you can spray but they are going to keep colonizing and colonizing the crop.”

Antolinez and the region’s growers spent the winter and spring hunting for and finding the insect’s eggs overwintering around the area.

Experts said the insects can lay eggs on any surface, including campfire wood and even vehicles, allowing them to hitchhike to new locations. Pockets of infestation have been reported elsewhere in New York and as far west as Illinois.

The grape industry is especially threatened by the spotted lanternfly, which can cause significant economic damage. The insects feed on vines and weaken them by using their needle-like mouths to pierce the plant and suck its sap. They also secrete a sticky substance known as honeydew, which serves as a substrate for mold that covers leaves and reduces photosynthesis.

Antolinez and his research lab are placing monitoring stations throughout the region, including on local farms.

He is also establishing a colony of spotted lanternflies in laboratory conditions to observe how factors like temperature and humidity affect their development. Understanding those conditions will help scientists develop strategies to control the insect’s populations.

If a proposal currently under review by the United States Department of Agriculture is approved, Antolinez and his collaborators from other universities will test different approaches to control spotted lanternflies, such as the use of “attract and kill stations” at the borders of an area to keep the insects from moving into the interior, or the use of trees that attract the insect, known as “trap trees.”

SEE ALSO: Spotted Lanternfly: What To Do If You See One In New York