PA agriculture department assigns hunters new target

ELIZABETH LEPRO
Posted 12/5/18

REGION — Now that hunting season has officially begun, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the Penn State Extension are using the opportunity to encourage hunters to track a …

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PA agriculture department assigns hunters new target

Posted

REGION — Now that hunting season has officially begun, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the Penn State Extension are using the opportunity to encourage hunters to track a different prey: the Spotted Lanternfly.

Officials are asking hunters, or anyone wandering through the woods, to keep watch for lanternfly egg masses and scrape them off trees if possible. Though the fly is particularly attracted to the Tree of Heaven, the insect may be found on rocks, stones, or outdoor furniture. The Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive species, according to the department, and is harmful to the economically important grape, tree-fruit, hardwood and nursery industries.

Environmental and agricultural advocates have been tracking the Spotted Lanternfly since 2014, even developing an online reporting tool—extension.psu.edu/have-you-seen-a-spotted-lanternfly—to keep record of the species.

For more information on the Spotted Lanternfly, or to report a sighting, call the Penn State Extension hotline at 888/422-3359.

spotted lantern fly, conservation, invasive species

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