Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District is working with FL-PRISM and NYS Ag and Markets on a Spotted Lantern Fly Monitoring project. Approximately 25 traps will be set at various locations around Wayne County between the District and Genesee Land Trust. If you see one of these traps, please do not touch. The District will be stopping every two weeks to check traps to report findings.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Should the Spotted Lantern Fly (SLF) migrate into this area, it will have potential to damage multiple agricultural crops in Wayne County. SLF is a pest of apples, grapes, hops, maple, walnut, and others. New York is estimated to produce more than 30 million bushels of apples each year, while grapes in New York are valued at an annual harvest of $52.8 million. Additionally, the expanding hops industry and the maple and timber industries would also be negatively impacted by the spread of SLF.
TAKE ACTION
If you see a Spotted Lantern Fly , kill it immediately by stepping on it or crushing it. Report Spotted Lanternfly sightings to the Department or collect samples at this time.
Follow these steps:
- Take a photo
- Collect a sample and place it in a freezer or in a jar with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer
- Contact the SLF responders
- After you have reported SLF in your area and collected a sample, you should kill any additional SLF you see by stepping on it or crushing it.
