An infestation of the spotted lanternfly in Blackstone was confirmed by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources on Thursday. Residents and business owners, including grape growers and wine producers, are being warned of the potential impact of the invasive insect on their crops. (Photo Courtesy the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources)
BLACKSTONE — Town Administrator Chad Lovett reports that an infestation of the spotted lanternfly in Blackstone was confirmed by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources on Thursday, warning grape growers of the potential impact of the invasive insect on their crops and other agricultural commodities in the community.
A preliminary survey was conducted by MDAR that confirmed the presence of the insects in Blackstone. The survey was after MDAR received a report from a concerned resident who observed spotted lanternflies.
The full extent of the infestation is not yet known.
Surveyors and staff from MDAR and potentially the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be in Blackstone during the next several weeks and periodically throughout the rest of the summer to check trees to determine the extent of the infestation.
Town employees, community members and local businesses are encouraged to report any sightings of this invasive pest. Adult lanternflies are about an inch long with grayish-tan wings covered in black spots, with a set of bright red underwings that show during flight.
To see where the spotted lanternfly has been found, to report new finds, and to get management tips, go online to www.mass.gov/slf.
A full description of the invasive sap-feeding insect from Asia can be found on the spotted lanternfly website operated by the Massachusetts Natural Resources Collaborations: www.massnrc.org/pests/linkeddocuments/SLFminiposter.pdf.
Guides on how to identify the spotted lanternfly are also available in Portuguese and Spanish.
Anyone who sees a spotted lanternfly can report them and send photographs to the Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project, which is maintained by MDAR staff. The spotted lanternfly report form is available online at www.massnrc.org/pests/slf.
On top of reporting sightings of the spotted lanternfly, residents and businesses are asked to destroy the invasive pest by smashing or squishing the insect, as well as crushing their eggs, and placing them in a container with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer if possible. For further information, MDAR provides a best practices checklist for how to keep the pest from spreading throughout the community: www.massnrc.org/pests/linkeddocuments/SLFChecklistForBusinesses.pdf.
In addition to attacking grapevines, along with other types of plants like tree-of-heaven and maple trees, adult spotted lanternflies can interfere with outdoor recreation when infestations reach high levels, due to their swarming behavior in late summer and fall.
However, MDAR clarified that the spotted lanternfly does not bite or sting. But they are a nuisance in large numbers in areas where people congregate, and they cover anything they are on with a sticky, sugary waste product known as honeydew.
For additional information, go to the MDAR YouTube channel, which has published a series of animated Public Service Announcements about the spotted lanternfly.
MDAR states that while it is working to slow the spread of spotted lanternflies, evidence from infestations in other areas of the country shows that they cannot be eradicated.
“We’d like to encourage our community residents and businesses to review the information and educational resources provided by MDAR about the spotted lanternfly,” said Town Administrator Lovett. “Those who find evidence of the spotted lanternfly or other invasive species are asked contact the Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Program. We will continue to provide updates for the community about this issue as it becomes available.”
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Town of Blackstone employees, community members and local businesses are encouraged to report any sightings of this invasive pest, which as adults are about an inch long with grayish-tan wings covered in black spots, with a set of bright red underwings that show during flight. (Photo Courtesy the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources)
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