An invasive pest known as the Spotted Lanternfly continues to plague Massachusetts, as officials with the state’s Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) look to slow it’s spread by informing residents of best practices for containment and extermination.
The insects feed sap of more than 100 different plants, stunting their growth and leaving a smelly sticky liquid. While not deadly to most full grown plants, saplings are particularly vulnerable. Their residue is called ‘honeydew’, and can often drip down from the plant they’re feeding on. That can make it a particular nuisance to homeowners and farmers.
“So if there are branches of a tree that are hanging over your porch or your yard, then everything is going to get coated with this sticky stuff,” explained Jennifer Orth, a biologist with MDAR and their resident Lanternfly expert. “And then the honey just starts to ferment and gets a fungus on it that we call sooty mold. It’s this gray, powdery fungus, and it can be slippery and it can start to to smell. And that can cause a problem at residences, but also in orchards, at nurseries, on farms. So that’s why we’re concerned about it.”…