Pretty but Destructive--Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula)
I took this shot in Oct 2023 while visiting NYC. It is a planthopper, an invasive sap-feeding insect from Asia. It has spread invasively to South Korea (2006), Japan (2009), and in 2014, the species was discovered in the eastern United States.
It is believed that L.delicatula entered these countries via egg masses that were laid on exported goods. Currently, these countries have implemented pest control efforts which have sought to limit population growth and spread, due to the threat this species poses to global agricultural industries.
Pretty but Destructive--Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula)
I took this shot in Oct 2023 while visiting NYC. It is a planthopper, an invasive sap-feeding insect from Asia. It has spread invasively to South Korea (2006), Japan (2009), and in 2014, the species was discovered in the eastern United States.
It is believed that L.delicatula entered these countries via egg masses that were laid on exported goods. Currently, these countries have implemented pest control efforts which have sought to limit population growth and spread, due to the threat this species poses to global agricultural industries.