Have you seen Lanternflies in your backyard?
In the city of Holyoke, Lanternflies have infested most of the area, triggering an official infestation. Residents in Holyoke, particularly those who grow crops should be advised to shelter their harvest in order to avoid damages. Sincee Holyoke is a highly infested area, all residents should be aware of the threat Lanternflies hold. This has been a recent discovery with no procedural solutions.
The first time the Lanternfly was detected was in 2014 in Pennsylvania and since then 233 communities in Massachusetts have had Lanternfly spottings, first recorded in 2018. Nearby cities like Fitchburg, Shrewsberry, Worcester, and Hadley all have Lanternfly infestations. Many of these cities have lots of farmland and agricultural resources, which is why they are targets for the insects. Fitchburg Massachusetts is where the first breeding population of Lanternflies was discovered in September of 2021. Even though the problem is fairly new, it is a fast and on going problem.
Though they can’t be harmful to humans, the sticky substance they produce, called honeydew, can be hard to deal with. The honeydew is really sticky and is a sugary substance. This substance has a smokey odor, and is later collected by honeybees, where it is processed as honey. After a while, if not collected, the honeydew turns into a black mold.
Nearby states like New York and New Jersey also are experiencing Lanternfly infestations. The problem got exceedingly worse and now those states are advertising a “Stomp Team”, asking local residents to stomp and kill the invasive species. Some solutions to get rid of the insects are stomping on them, vacuuming them, or using an insecticidal spray. Sadly, there is no real solution to this problem as of right now. In all, stay advised for later updates regarding affected areas of Lantern flies.
