Spotted Lanternflies: Southwest Virginia’s Unwanted Visitors
By: Rylee Lyons
Over the past few years, there has been a growing presence of spotted lanternflies all over the Eastern U.S. In fact, the population of the species has become so immense in certain areas of the U.S, they have begun to be picked up by weather radar. While these spotted bugs have now inhabited most of North America, the invasive species’ recent habitation of Radford, VA is particularly concerning to students and community members alike due to the spotted insect’s negative effects on our local environment.
The spotted lanternfly that we have come to know all too well is formally known as Lycorma delicatula, as is native to China and Vietnam. The bug ended up invading countries such as South Korea and Japan, then eventually made its way to the U.S. in 2016. Their presence in Virginia was confirmed in 2018 and has grown ever since. The insect is most attracted to the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), which is abundant in Eastern states like Virginia due to its own invasive nature. While this is the lanternfly’s preferred host plant, the insects also feed off many other trees that are plentiful in southwest Virginia, such as pine, oak, maple, and walnut. In addition to trees and plants, the lanternfly also damages crops such as grapes, soybean, and peaches.
While lanternflies are not known to do any harm to people, such as biting or stinging, they cause immense damage to the environments they invade by sucking large amounts of sap from trees, which causes them to wilt faster. They also exert honeydew onto the plants and crops they inhabit, which promotes rapid growth of mold. The damage done to plants, trees, and crops is not insignificant, seeing as they are crucial parts of our ecosystem.
There have been many efforts across the eastern U.S to eradicate or contain the large population of lanternflies but eliminating them has unfortunately become nearly impossible. There is no way to fully remove this invasive species from the Virginia region as they have become too well established not only here, but in all of North America, there are measures that can be taken to prevent further spread on a community level. These insects are known to be “hitchhikers,” meaning they commonly get from place to place by travelling on cars, buses, or trains. Checking vehicles for lanternflies, as well as stepping on existing ones and managing infestations on personal properties can all be effective ways to prevent them from migrating or reproducing further.
