Agriculture Officials Really Want Those Spotted Lanternflies Gone, Gone, Gone
Heads up: There's an unwelcome visitor in Pennsylvania and officials are urging residents to take caution.
The spotted lanternfly has been moving in and threatening agriculture and trees, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
The flies are known to cause some serious damage to trees, including oozing sap, wilting and leaf curling. In more serious cases, they can cause trees, vines, crops and many other types of plants to die.
In addition to plant damage, once spotted lanternflies feed, they eject a sugary substance, otherwise known as honeydew, that encourages the growth of black sooty mold. Each fall, the bugs will lay egg masses with 30-50 eggs each.
If you're in Pennsylvania and see a spotted lanternfly, officials say it is imperative to immediately report it online to the state Department of Agriculture or by phone, especially if you are not inside one of the county's quarantine zones.
In the meantime, Pennsylvania officials give the following advice to those who encounter the pesky insects: "Kill it! Squash it, smash it ... just get rid of it."
Back in 2014, the pests were first found in Pennsylvania and have since spread to multiple counties, which are now quarantined.
In March, the state's agriculture department added eight additional counties to its "Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine" list, for a total of 34 out of 67 Pennsylvania counties now in quarantine.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
Wananchi wa Pennsylvania wamekuwa wakikumbushwa kuwa kuna mgeni asiyependa katika eneo hilo na wanaomba watu wawe makini. Mnyama huyo amekuwa akisambaa na kutisha kilimo na miti, kulingana na Idara ya Kilimo ya Pennsylvania. Nzi hao wanajulikana kwa kusababisha uharibifu mkubwa kwa miti, kutia ndani kuvuja na maji, kufifia na kugeuka kwa majani. Katika visa vikali zaidi, zinaweza kusababisha miti, mizabibu, mazao na aina nyingine nyingi za mimea kufa. "Kwenye mimea, mnyama anayeitwa ""Lanternfly"" huondoa sukari inayoitwa honeydew, ambayo huchochea ukuaji wa kuvu nyeusi." Kila vuli, wadudu hao hutaga mayai mengi, kila mmoja akiwa na mayai 30-50. Ikiwa unaona nondo wa taa, ni muhimu kuiripoti kwa Idara ya Kilimo au kwa simu, haswa ikiwa hauko ndani ya eneo la karantini. Wakati huohuo, maofisa wa Pennsylvania wanatoa shauri lifuatalo kwa wale wanaokutana na wadudu hao wenye kusumbua: "Uwaue! Pindua, pindua... tu kuondoa. " Tangu mwaka 2014, wadudu hao wamepatikana katika jimbo la Pennsylvania na tangu wakati huo wameenea katika kaunti kadhaa ambazo sasa ziko chini ya karantini. "Katika Machi, idara ya kilimo ya jimbo hilo iliongeza kaunti nane kwa orodha yake ya ""Kukinga na Kizunguzungu cha Spotted Lanternfly,"" kwa jumla ya kaunti 34 kati ya 67 za Pennsylvania ambazo sasa ziko katika ukinga." Copyright 2021 NPR Kwa maelezo zaidi, tembelea www.nl.org.