LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Kentucky residents should be on the lookout for the spotted lanternfly, which was observed close to the Kentucky border in Ohio and Indiana, according to UK College of Agriculture.
If the insect enters Kentucky, it can impact wine, apples, Christmas trees, hops, and the state's sizable forest industries.
“Spotted lanternflies feed on over 70 different host plants and could really wreck a number of small commodities we have in the state,” said Jonathan Larson, entomology assistant professor. “They also feed on hardwood trees, so once they get in people's yards, their numbers can just explode. It kind of becomes a quality-of-life issue."
If spotted lanternflies appear in Kentucky and stay relatively contained, Larson said professionals may be able to locally eradicate the insects to prevent their spread and establishment.
The UK Department of Entomology is asking Kentuckians who think they spot a spotted lanternfly to send pictures to reportapest@uky.edu.
To learn more about spotted lanternflies, visit https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef465.
