September Invasive Species News - Help Survey for Spotted Lanternfly

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent this bulletin on 09/12/2022 09:58 AM EDT
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
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September Invasive Species News

What Can You Do About Spotted Lanternfly? Claim a Grid Square to Survey! 

Spotted lanternflies are out in full force, but luckily this year’s “Claim A Grid Square” survey effort is going strong. So far this summer, over 150 survey grid squares have been claimed by participants across the state, and over 850 spotted lanternfly not-detected reports have been submitted – great news! Learn more and join the effort at iMapInvasives website.

Spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive insect that feeds on grapes, hops, maple trees, and other woody plants, posing a severe threat to NY natural resources. Visit the Department of Ag & Markets website for more info. SLF is not yet found in most of the state outside of NYC, but one potential pathway is SLF’s preferred host plant, tree-of-heaven (ToH), which is found in many locations across NY. We are seeking volunteers like you to look for SLF and ToH in your area a couple times throughout the year. You can help protect New York's agriculture and forests by knowing what to look for and how to report it to New York’s official invasive species database, iMapInvasives.

Join us at 10 a.m. on Wednesday September 14th for our Spotted Lanternfly webinar, featuring experts at the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets! – register at the iMapInvasives website. 

Spotted lanternfly

Photo: Spotted lanternfly adult (record #1152072), submitted by an iMapInvasives user.