Delco Awarded Grant For Treatment Of Spotted Lanternflies

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA—Delaware County Council recently approved a $46,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for the treatment of spotted lanternflies, an invasive insect that has spread throughout southeastern Pennsylvania since its discovery in Berks County in 2014. Two years ago, the species was discovered in Delaware County.

County officials said the Delaware County Conservation District District is currently in the process of hiring a contractor to treat Rose Tree Park and the outside property of the George W. Hill Correctional Facility. A treatment plan is currently under review and treatment is expected to begin within the next two to four weeks.

According to insect experts, the spotted lanternfly attacks fruit trees and feeds on the sap in trunks, branches, twigs, and leaves. As it digests the sap, the insect excretes a substance. There may be a buildup of the sticky fluid on infested plants and the ground below. The sap also provides a medium for growth of fungi, such as sooty mold, which can cover leaf surfaces and stunt growth. Plants with heavy infestations may not survive.

Potentially at stake are Pennsylvania’s grape, tree-fruit, hardwood, nursery, and landscape industries, which generate crops and forest products worth nearly $18 billion annually. The insect can also cause damage to high-value ornamentals in home landscapes and can affect the quality of life for residents.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture advises that the adult spotted lanternfly and nymphs can be mechanically destroyed, such as being swatted with a shoe. If you encounter an egg mass, they suggest scraping the mass into a bottle that can be sealed. If you cannot scrape the egg mass into a container, mechanically destroy it as best as possible.