Agriculture officials urge businesses, residents to be aware of spotted lanternflies

As he was walking in a park near his home on Pittsburgh’s North Side late last month, Joe Dep saw a bug fly past him that immediately caught his attention.

“I was in Allegheny Commons Park, and as soon as I saw it, I knew it was something I didn’t recognize,” said Dep, 35. “It looked like it didn’t belong here. You don’t see that bright orange color much.”

What Dep saw was the bright coloration and dark spots of an adult spotted lanternfly.

“It landed and I tossed my hat on it,” Dep said.

Shortly after killing it, he reported it to the Penn State Extension, which hosts a statewide, online reporting site.

The spotted lanternfly, or Lycorma delicatula, is an invasive plant-hopper native to Asia. It was first discovered in Pennsylvania seven year ago in Berks County.

State officials are hoping that Pennsylvania businesses will use the same sharp eye as Dep in reporting lanternfly sightings

The Department of Agriculture officials will begin canvassing local businesses in Allegheny, Westmoreland and Beaver counties starting Monday, Sept. 20.

Businesses that operate or do business in quarantined counties are required to obtain a free permit which comes with the responsibility of maintaining a trained, engaged workforce.

Violators of permit requirements are subject to up to $300 per violation plus associated court costs.

The lanternfly feeds on sap from a myriad of plants. But it has a strong preference for plants important to the state’s economy including grapevines, maples, black walnut, birch and willow. Its feeding damage stresses plants, which can decrease their healing and in some cases cause death.

Last March, the department added eight counties, including Westmoreland, to the commonwealth’s quarantine zone which now spans from east to west across the commonwealth. Both Allegheny and Beaver counties were already part of the quarantine zone.

“We’ve been saying for a long time now that businesses are an important part of the fight against the spotted lanternfly, they should protect with a permit,” said state Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “With a spotted lanternfly business permit and an educated workforce, we can stop this threat in its tracks while keeping business and commerce moving, trade and consumers protected.”

In July, the department announced it would begin canvassing Pennsylvania’s 34 counties quarantined for the pest to ensure businesses were doing their part to slow the spread.

During an August canvass of Lackawanna County, non-compliance notices were issued to 49 of 71 businesses.

Dep has no doubt spotted lanternflies are present on the city’s North Side. The day after discovering the first one, he spotted and killed another near his car.

“A few days after that, I was walking past PNC Park and found another one that I killed,” Dep said. “Later that week I was crossing the Rachel Carson Bridge, and I ended up killing five.”

A “Spotted Lanternfly Business Toolkit” is available to help operations learn about why the spotted lanternfly is bad, how the quarantine works, if they need a permit, and responsibilities of holding a permit.