The good news is that the initial fears several years ago about the potential economic impact of the spotted lanternfly appear to have been unfounded, according to Brian Walsh, a horticulture expert with Penn State Extension.

The bad news is the invasive species continues to spread, and according to Walsh, still poses economic risks to at least two crops in Pennsylvania agriculture.

“They’re absolutely a destructive pest for grapes,” Walsh said recently. “They can kill grape vines out right.”

And with much of Europe’s agricultural sector heavily dependent on vineyards, European nations that purchase and ship Pennsylvania hardwood may, in the near future, consider curtailing or, worse still, prohibiting their consumption of our state’s lumber – costing Pennsylvania’s lumberyards valuable business.

“You can imagine what that would do to the economy” of rural Pennsylvania, Walsh cautioned.

Pennsylvanians outside of logging and agriculture can help.

State officials are asking the public to report the spotted lanternfly when it has been found to spread into new, previously unreported parts of the state. When visiting parts of the state bedeviled by this insect, Pennsylvanians can check their bags and cars to ensure they aren’t unwittingly providing the pests with a free ride. And of course, squish spotted lanternflies and squish or scrape egg clusters into baggies with rubbing alcohol for disposal.

“You definitely want to try and kill it,” Walsh advised.

Invasive species, including the spotted lanternfly, are a real problem that pose economic risks to segments of our state’s economy that provide our neighbors and family members jobs, our communities tax revenue and our public necessary goods and services. We should educate ourselves on what these risks are and what we can do to help mitigate the potential damage invasive species can cause.

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