Vincent Burkle and the Spotted Lanternfly

Little River Wetlands Project hosts a monthly community forum that focuses on the environment. The forum, Breakfast on the Marsh is usually held at the Indiana Wesleyan University Fort Wayne building by the boundary of Eagle Marsh. One August 08, 2024, the presenter was Assistant Director for the DNR’s Division of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Vincent Burkle. He spoke on the current status of the Spotted Lanternfly in Indiana.
 
The Spotted Lanternfly is a fairly recent invasive species. It is a true bug, with sucking mouth parts that can devastate plant life. It is originally from Southeast Asia and was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014.   In the last eight years it has spread to New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.
 
The invasive insect appears to be spreading by inadvertently being transported via trains. Its favorite food source is another invasive species, the Tree of Heaven. The Tree of Heaven is often found along railway lines.  
 
If the Spotted Lanternfly only consumed Tree of Heaven it would be a solution, not a problem. However, that is not the case. This mobile, prolific insect also eats 70 different trees and shrubs.
This includes Black Walnut, maples, roses, sumac, birch, cucumber, and grape.
 
The presentation focused on identification throughout the insect’s lifespan, finding populations and discovering the spread of the Lanternfly. It focused on finding, killing, and reporting the invasive insect. Finding, containing, and eradication is critically important. This is an invasive that can cause a great deal of destruction.  

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