I got in the car to make a quick run to Aldi’s last week and as I was pulling out of the driveway, I felt something bump into my arm. I looked down and saw what I thought was a moth, and it was lovely with a touch of pink on gray spotted wings. I pulled over, rolled down the window and tried to encourage the bug to fly away. When it saw the opening, it shot out like a rocket, not a moth.
A few minutes later as I was getting a cart out for my grocery shopping, I saw several of the same insects. Four or five were dead, on their backs and a couple were crawling on the wall beside the carts.
Hmmm?
When I got home, I told Nancy and she said what I saw were not moths, they were Spotted Lanternflies – an invasive species. I had heard of them but had never identified them. As I said, they are delicate creatures and look harmless, but they are a serious pest in Virginia that damages grape vines, fruit trees, maples, and a wide variety of other plants by feeding on sap. Virginia biologists have declared an all-out war on them.
I had seen the bugs in immature nymph stages in my garden. The young ones are jet black with distinct white dots. As they mature, the nymphs gain a bright red coloration in addition to black along with white spots.
Officials say to kill them wherever they are found and to use insecticides on infested areas. Details on the insecticides can be found at the Virginia Department of Agriculture website (vdacs.virginia.gov)
Nancy agreed that they are extremely fast as she has tried to catch them before and kill them. They are, however, not harmful to humans. They don’t sting or bite, but they can be very destructive to many crops, trees, and plants. They can also make a mess in your yard by excreting a sticky substance that causes the growth of black sooty mold.
And to think – I rolled down my window and let one go. But never again.
