Pest found in Maine traced to Lebanon County

Dead spotted lanternfly found in pots from Pottstown company

Two recent discoveries of spotted lanternflies outside of Pennsylvania have been linked to shipments from southeastern Pennsylvania.

Spotted lanternfly egg masses hooked to trees from a Lebanon County grower were recently found in Maine and New Hampshire. Meanwhile, a dead spotted lanternfly was found in Maine in a pallet of pots from a Pottstown company.

“Egg masses reported from Maine were found in a shipment of plants from New Hampshire that had purchased trees in the spring from a grower in Lebanon County,” said Shannon Powers, press secretary for Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. “Not all egg masses on the trees had been found and removed, so the eggs hatched.”

Powers said the grower has cooperated with the department and implemented safeguarding measures in addition to the treatment of property and inspections it was already completing. She did not name the grower.

As of May, 26 counties in Pennsylvania are under quarantine for spotted lanternfly, which means people living and working there are required to check their vehicles when traveling out of the area. The state requires businesses to have permits to haul anything outside the quarantine zone. The pest has been found in five other states in the northeastern United States, according to the federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which has a pest tracker.

The lanternfly threatens grape, tree fruit, hardwood and nursery industries, which collectively are worth about $18 billion to the Pennsylvania economy alone.

In New Hampshire, nursery workers and state inspectors killed several adult spotted lanternflies and identified egg masses on red maple trees that came from Pennsylvania, according to the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food.

On Sept. 29, Maine’s Department of Agriculture warned residents to report any sign of the invasive pest. The egg masses were found on trees planted in

Boothbay, Freeport, Northeast Harbor, and Yarmouth.

“These most recent finds call attention to the fact that there are many ways that spotted lanternfly can travel here from other states,” Gary Fish, Maine state horticulturist, said in a news release.

Maine officials are concerned that the spotted lanternfly, if it became established, could impact a broad range of agricultural commodities, including apples, peaches, grapes/wine, maple syrup, as well as the ornamental nursery industry.

Maine warned its residents to be aware of shipments from areas with infestation.

“As many families across the state spend more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic and are undertaking activities such as gardening to improve their outdoor spaces, Maine has seen an increase in purchases of items such as outdoor furniture, play structures, gazebos, as well as trees and shrubs for landscaping,” the state said in a news release. “When shipped from areas with spotted lanternfly infestations, these products, and the vehicles used for transportation, can unintentionally carry the pest into new areas.”

Oregon report

Powers said so far this year there have been four reports from other states and two reports from Pennsylvania areas outside the quarantine.

The report from Oregon involved a single, dead insect found on a pallet of pots from Pottstown, Powers said. The department contacted the company and inspected. The company was not identified.

“They were not previously aware of the quarantine, but immediately went through the process to receive a permit and are training employees,” Powers said. “The property manager and company that shipped the pallet of pots are working to notify eight other locations in the area about spotted lanternflies and are posting educational signs for employees and guests.”

Powers said state Department of Agriculture inspectors investigate the point of origin any time the department is notified of shipments of goods containing spotted lanternfly arriving outside the quarantine, whether in the state or in another state.

“There have been instances of businesses that are properly inspecting and treating, and insects have slipped by despite good faith efforts. In all instances, companies have been cooperative with investigations and have complied with quarantine requirements,” Powers said. “No fines or penalties have been issued.”

Powers said 25,344 businesses of all kinds across the United States and Canada have acquired permits for their employees who travel in and out of quarantined counties for business.

“This represents more than 1.1 million people who have learned to recognize spotted lanternflies and inspect their vehicles to avoid taking hitchhiking insects or their eggs with them when they leave the area,” Powers said.