WA Dept. of Ag Eyeing Potential New Invasive Insect in PNW
It's kind of an ugly-looking critter, but the Department of Ecology is keeping an eye out for it.
The spotted lanternfly has spread close to PNW
The insect, which is native to Asia, including China, and Japan, was first detected in the US in 2014 in Pennsylvania. Since then, like many invasive or damaging species, it's made its way across the country.
So far, no live specimens have been found in WA, but entomologists have found dead ones in regulatory inspections in CA and OR, says the WSDA.
According to the Department of Ag:
"Its preferred host is tree-of-heaven. When the spotted lanternfly feeds it damages trees and excretes a sticky sugary fluid that causes sooty mold to further damage plants."
The fluid is also known to attract other unwanted insects to those trees.
It has been known to damage other trees as well. While the lanternfly does have several predators in the ecosystem who help 'control' it, the damage it can cause can be widespread due to its numbers.
READ More: lanternflies not the only bug we're dealing with in PNW
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Gallery Credit: Andrea Vale