Goucher has a problem. Well, it has many problems, but there’s one in particular that I want to talk about in this article: spotted lanternflies. Now if you’ve been on this campus for more than 5 seconds, you’ve surely seen one of the little buggers hopping about and being a general menace. I myself have stepped out of the Ath, tried to step on one, only to beat a hasty retreat when 6 more burst out of their well-chosen cover. If you’re anything like me and terrified of small creatures that are almost one-thousandth of the size of you, you’ll want to know what’s being done about this issue.
Well, in the words of Sun Tzu, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” Knowledge is power, and you can’t fight against an enemy you know nothing about, afterall. We need to know what exactly a spotted lantern fly is and what effects are they having on our environment. Only then can we take the first step on the long road to expelling them from our home.
First up, what are they? Britannica defines the spotted lanternfly, known as Lycorma Delicatula (or SLFs) as a planthopper native to regions in China and Vietnam. This category of bug is known for their resemblance to plants and, of course, their brief flighty hops whenever you startle them. But believe it or not, they haven’t spread everywhere. Their invasive presence has only been found in Japan, South Korea, and the eastern US, which sucks for us students here on the east coast, but at least you’ll be safe for a study abroad trip that isn’t in east Asia. Unfortunately for us still here, they’ve completely covered New Jersey, most of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and other eastern states on the coast. Experts believe that these pests entered the US through imports into Pennsylvania, where they were first found in 2014.
Of course, what makes non-native species harmful to the environment isn’t just that they’re far from home. Nature, for all that it is wild, is an incredibly sensitive construction that is finely tuned to what belongs. Introduce an uncontrolled new factor and things go out of whack very quickly. The reason SLFs are so bad is because they like to munch on stuff humans really don’t want them to, such as soybeans, grapes, stone fruit (think coffee, mangoes, and cherries), and apple trees. They also coat their feeding areas in honeydew, which attracts wasps, flies, and even black mold. Their eating habits are especially a concern in the US because they could soon affect California and other state’s grape-producing counties, which is a big deal for the wine industry. Wouldn’t it be funny if an unintended return to Prohibition forced the government to be more proactive about environmental issues? Suburban soccer moms would be up in arms!
Truthfully, we all should be. Invasive species are a threat to all of us, whether or not they destroy lucrative agriculture endeavors. But you may be thinking, ‘What can I do about it? There’s only one of me, and a bazillion of them!’ Fear not, dear reader, you’re not alone in this! You’ve already seen some of your peers run around stomping like crazy trying to squish as many as they can. Every bug stomped is one less around to breed, so your efforts aren’t going to waste.
However, there is always more we can do to put an end to this menace. The United States Department of Agriculture states that SLFs begin breeding from late September to October. Their egg masses are really spongy, gross-looking cream or brown-colored splats that show up on trees, especially their preferred host the Tree of Heaven (one of which is right outside Meyerhoff!), houseplants, crops, and garden beds. According to David Coyle, an entomologist from Clementon University, you can scrape off the egg masses into a plastic bag with something like rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer and then immediately trash the bags. When it comes to dealing with larger infestations, however, it gets a bit complicated. Using DIY bug treatments causes more harm to the plants and surrounding animals than the bugs themselves, so it’s best to use regulated insecticides that won’t hurt the things you spray them with (besides the bugs).
Dear reader, I know these bugs may seem endless and the problem outside of your hands, but humans haven’t progressed thousands of years just to be bested by a bunch of lame wannabe ladybugs. Tell your friends this information, keep your eyes peeled, and don’t stop just because you get overwhelmed by their numbers! With a consistent, coordinated effort, change is not beyond us. Let’s take our campus back from the scourge of the spotted lantern fly!
By Jaiden Johnson ’27
