Spotted Lanternfly 斑点灯笼蝇

Mamaroneck, NY -- 19 August 2023;
Ward Acres, New Rochelle, NY -- 25 August 2023
Cartoon Image created in DALL·E 2

"[T]he... strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown."
– H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937)

Irrational paranoia directed at only one species is counterproductive. They don't bite, don't transmit diseases (e.g. Lyme, Malaria, West Nile, etc.) and are actually quite friendly.

The Spotted Lanterfly (斑点灯笼蝇) arrived to the United States in 2012 from China after imported stoned included eggs. The first sighting of an adult spotted lanternfly was in Pennsylvania in 2014. This year, lower Westchester and parts of New York City have become a sort of epicenter for the spotted lanternfly. As spotted lanternflies are relatively new to the United States, the fear is palpable!

While futile efforts are being made to eradicate them through spraying (that will also poison other creatures in the ecosystem) and "kill on sight" orders -- the fact is they have become endemic and American society will have to learn to live with them.

As long as they exist in manageable numbers, grape crops and trees should be okay. Their favorite trees are the "Tree of Heaven" and "Sumac," with the latter being an invasive species. Perhaps the spotted lanternfly is performing a beneficial service (natural eco-management) with regard to the "Sumac" tree. Also, aside from grape plants, they don't appear to eat the plants or fruits and vegetables of other crops!

As a recommendation, grape farmers might consider covering their plants in netting to protect them especially since such a step would be more ecologically friendly. At the same time, perhaps with research we can develop a sort of natural birth control mechanism that could further ensure spotted lanternfly numbers remain manageable.

Overpopulation of any species – not just the spotted lanternfly, which does have natural predators here in the USA (e.g. some snakes, birds,praying mantises, hornets and spiders) – humans too – always wreck ecological havoc. Just look at our planet today with every new year setting extreme heat records, growing numbers of more intense wildfires, droughts, floods, not to mention the intense destruction we're causing all over the planet!

Finally, whether it's popular or not, I choose to co-exist with the spotted lanternfly and won't kill them especially since I find it appalling we humans think the entire planet only belongs to us and have the right to decide what species live or die in nature!

As a follow up, on 12 September 2023 I found several Spotted Lanternfly colonies in Rye, NY and it seems nature is adapting to create a population control mechanism. Yellow Jackets were swarming at all of these colonies where the Spotted Lanternflies have been laying eggs; they even created underground nests to be close-by. It seems they have discovered the eggs and found they are a new source of food. In fact, it seems yellow jackets are swarming in many places where Spotted Lanternflies have begun to or have laid eggs, perhaps attracted by the faint aroma of the white glossy substance they use to cover their eggs.