Spotted lanternfly workshop draws 77
MIDDLEBURG — Seventy-seven people were in attendance at the spotted lanternfly workshop on Feb. 23 at the Shade Mountain Winery near Middleburg.
The informational session hosted by the Snyder County Conservation District was targeted toward the invasive and destructive pest that is threatening local fruit crops. Currently a quarantine is in place for 13 southeastern Pennsylvania counties to try to stop the movement of the spotted lanternfly. Currently the nearest county in the quarantine is Schuylkill.
Participants from 15 counties learned that this destructive insect, a native of China, Vietnam and India, feeds on a variety of trees and crops including grapes, apples, peaches, ailanthus, select hardwoods, willow, hops and certain ornamental plants.
Two speakers educated the attendees on biology, life cycle, damage, economically important hosts in Pa., what to do if you find a SLF, prevention and management.
Sven-Erik Spichiger, Entomology Program Manager, Bureau of Plant Industry, PDA and Anna Busch, Field and Forage Crops Educator-Penn State Extension, offered a wealth of information and answered many questions about this invasive pest.
Additional information on the spotted lanternfly may be obtained by contacting the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture or your local Penn State Extension office.
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