Spotted lanternfly seen in town

LOWER SALFORD » The township has been added to the list of municipalities in the quarantine area for the spotted lanternfly, Mary West, assistant township manager, said at the Oct. 4 Lower Salford Township Board of Supervisors meeting.

“I couldn’t believe we weren’t before,” board Chairman Doug Gifford said. “Everybody around us was.”

The invasive insect was first found in the United States in Berks County in 2014. It has since spread to other areas, including Montgomery and Bucks counties.

“I was at a golf course in Berks County and I killed five of them that day,” Gifford said.

Information about the spotted lanternfly is available at the township office, West said.

“Familiarize yourself with the little critter because you do want to get rid of it if you see it,” she said.

Information is also available at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s website, agriculture.pa.gov.

In other matters at the meeting:

• The meeting started with a moment of silence for the victims of the Oct. 1 Las Vegas mass killing.

“Yet another senseless act of violence,” Gifford said.

• The board approved accepting a $54,200 state “Green-Light-Go” grant to be used for the maintenance of traffic lights in the municipality.

• In answer to a resident’s question if the township had ever considered adding other recreational facilities, such as a pool or basketball or tennis courts, to the township-owned Lederach Golf Club, Gifford said, “We really don’t have the room.”

The idea of including a pool was looked into when the golf course was initially built, he said.

“There’s a lot of acreage,” at the golf course, he said, “but not in the right place” for additional recreational facilities.

He encouraged people to eat at Leddy’s Pub at the golf course.

“It’s not a gourmet restaurant, doesn’t pretend to be,” he said, “but it’s actually a real nice place.”