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Mar 31, 2024 By Katherine Mansfield 4 min read

Spotted lanternfly nymphs, right, may look at first glance like a lady bug, but they grow into the insect at left. Spotted lanternflies pose risks to plants, gardens and the local economy, and folks are encouraged to kill the insect and report sightings to the Department of Agriculture.

Greene County has joined 52 other Pennsylvania counties, including Washington and Fayette, on the state’s spotted lanternfly quarantine list, the state Department of Agriculture announced last week.

The quarantine status prohibits moving spotted lanternflies at any stage of life and any infested items, including firewood and debris, across county lines. Those who operate business in a quarantined county or travel in and out of quarantined counties are required to get a permit through the DOA.

Fayette County joined Washington County on the spotted lanternfly quarantine list in February 2023. The announcement that Greene County is now on the list, too, precedes the spotted lanternfly’s anticipated May hatch, and accompanied the unveiling of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2024-25 budget, which includes more than $76 million to combat spotted lanternflies and support businesses threatened by that species.

“The Shapiro administration is committed to protecting and preserving the tremendous value agriculture brings to our economy and daily lives,” Department of Agriculture secretary Russell Redding said in a news release. “Funding research critical to developing safe, innovative pest control methods, monitoring and treating aggressively, and fostering strategic partnerships among government and affected industries are all crucial tools in our fight against this pest.”

Under the proposed budget, $3 million of the $34 million Rapid Response and Disaster Readiness fund would go specifically toward aiding in the state DOA’s response to agricultural emergencies.

Approximately $145,000 would go toward the expansion of a dog detection program into Western Pennsylvania. That lump sum would cover training costs for a canine named Ruby and her handler, who are currently training at PennVet’s Center for Working Dogs. Ruby would join Pennsylvania’s Lucky, the first dog in the U.S. trained to detect spotted lanternfly eggs on shipping pallets and in other hard-to-reach areas, in the fight against spotted lanternflies.

The proposed budget also calls for a new $10 million Agriculture and Conservation Innovation Fund, to keep state farms sustainable, productive and ahead of the curve concerning technology and market changes. Money from that fund would also be put toward investments that keep at bay threats from invasive species that are exacerbated by climate change.

Penn State Agricultural Extension & Research would receive about $60.5 million for its efforts, including educating farmers and the public and developing new ways to manage pests and disease. An additional $2.187 million would be allocated to the DOA’s Agriculture Research funds, for research and development.

While the Shapiro administration aims to invest in programs that will keep state businesses affected by spotted lanternflies afloat, educate the public and help eradicate the invasive species, Pennsylvanians are encouraged to help get rid of spotted lanternflies, which are harmful to native species and the local economy.

Redding last week encouraged Pennsylvanians to squash egg masses, which are putty-colored and usually on outdoor surfaces like trees, rocks and lawn furniture, before they can hatch.

Pennsylvanians are encouraged to scrape and squash spotted lanternfly egg masses, which look like this and are often found on wooden pallets, trees and lawn furniture.

“As you clean up your yard or enjoy these early spring days, every egg mass you scrape and squash means 30 to 40 pests won’t hatch in May,” he said. “Everyone can help stop this nuisance that threatens valuable plants and outdoor businesses.”

For more on the Shapiro administration’s proposed 2024-2025 budget, visit https://www.shapirobudget.pa.gov/2024-25budget/. For more on the spotted lanternfly, go to https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plants_Land_Water/PlantIndustry/Entomology/spotted_lanternfly/Pages/default.aspx.