CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The invasive spotted lanternfly (SLF), which has wreaked havoc across the nation, has been spotted in Massachusetts in a beloved botanical garden: the Mount Auburn Cemetery & Arboretum.
The outdoor space sits on the Cambridge/Watertown line, the latter of which reported the infestation and offered a management guide. The SLF often hitches a ride on cars and trucks to spread to other U.S. states.
It’s an infestation that spills out into the larger Suffolk County, and in western and southern portions of the state, according to a dashboard from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. Why are these bugs such a problem? The SLF chews away and sucks up sap of trees and plants— including precious crops like grapevines, hops, and other fruit trees…