BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - - It's not completely clear how spotted lanternflies first got to the United States, however New york city State's Department of Farming and Markets' Department of Plant Market has some concepts.

Chris Logue, the director of the department, states it could have been the result of egg masses on deliveries to the U.S., noting that the invasive species of bugs "tend to be excellent hitchhikers."

Spotted lanternfly eggs can be moved long distances. They're laid in the fall, going through winter before the bugs show themselves in the spring.

Usually in the northeast, they're initially seen emerging in May, however Logue states emergence seems a little earlier than usual this year after reports of the lanternfly in New York City was available in last week. Early hatches might have happened elsewhere, too.

" Obviously New York City is a little bit warmer," Logue stated. "You also have, sort of, the urban heat sink impact, which again, probably affected that earlier emergence, as well."

Noting New York State's large size, varied landscape and microclimates, Logue says it can be "very tough to forecast introduction in any one particular area at any offered time."

The spotted lanternfly, which is known to trigger damage to crops, is a planthopper from Asia. Logue states it eats more than 70 various plant types.

With its piercing, sucking mouth part, the spotted lanternfly can trigger direct feeding damage. New York, which Logue states ranks 3rd in grape production in the U.S., might be severely impacted by the lanternfly's way of living.

However the direct feeding damage is not the only concern.

" SLF (spotted lanternfly) likewise excretes big quantities of sticky 'honeydew,' which brings in sooty molds that disrupt plant photosynthesis, negatively affecting the development and fruit yield of plants, ravaging agriculture and impacting forest health," the Department of Agriculture states.

Ever since it was first discovered in the U.S. in Pennsylvania in 2014, the spotted lanternfly has considering that been seen in numerous states, consisting of North Carolina, Indiana and Michigan.

Its first sighting in New York happened on Staten Island in August 2020. Ever since, it was discovered in the other districts of New York City, in addition to 15 counties across other parts of the state, consisting of Erie this past year. This sighting in West Seneca is believed to have actually been an isolated event.

Throughout an upgrade provided Wednesday afternoon, Logue did not state the bug was discovered in any other parts of Western New York ever since.

Other states in the northeast where it's been seen because 2014, besides New York, include New Jersey and Delaware. Current infestation areas in the northeast can be found at this link.

If this bug is seen in New York City, it ought to be eliminated right away, per a 2021 notification from the New York State Department of Agriculture. However beyond that region, the state lists these actions:

• Take an image




If possible ,

Collect a specimen



• Contact the SLF responders

Most current Posts

• Fly to Las Vegas, Miami and more for $39 with Spirit one-day sale


• Out-of-town couple enjoys armed intruder in house on security electronic camera


• Scott, Rosendale toss assistance behind McCarthy's debt limit plan


• Invasive spotted lanternfly seen emerging earlier than normal downstate


• GOP clears key procedural difficulty in sprint to financial obligation ceiling vote

Evan Anstey is an Associated Press Award, JANY Award and Emmy-nominated digital producer who has belonged to the News 4 team given that 2015. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.