The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) is urging Tennesseans to report and destroy any encountered spotted lanternfly and their eggs after the insect was confirmed to be detected in Davidson County.
ALERT!! #SpottedLaternfly Detected in Middle Tennessee. TDA has confirmed the detection of spotted lanternfly (SLF) in Davidson County. Tennessee is the 16th state to detect SLF since it was first discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014.
FULL RELEASE: https://t.co/Xby7QAuOOK pic.twitter.com/4yhdowX64c
— TN Dept. of Ag (@TNAgriculture) September 28, 2023
The spotted lanternfly, according to the TDA, is a “sapsucking insect, feeding on the water and nutrients in plants and producing a byproduct called honeydew as it feeds.” Adult spotted lanternflies can be identified by their forewings, which are tan with black spots at the front, transitioning to a speckled band near the rear.
The insect is known to “attack its preferred host, tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), although well over 70 species of plants can be impacted,” TDA notes, adding that they are pests in orchards, fruit and ornamental businesses, and residential areas.
TDA asks residents who encounter the insect or an egg mass to take photos and complete the Report a Pest form on the Protect Tennessee Forests website to assist the State Entomologist and Plant Certification Section staff in studying insect samples, conducting surveillance, and conducting outreach.
The department also urges residents to stomp the insect and destroy egg masses by smashing or dousing them with rubbing alcohol.
In addition, TDA recommends residents to check vehicles, boats, or campers to ensure they are not carrying any insects or eggs, as the invasive species can “spread long distances when people and vehicles move infested material or items containing egg masses.”
“Our Plant Certification Section inspectors responded to a tip from a vigilant citizen about a sighting of spotted lanternfly,” TDA Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said in a statement. “This non-native insect is harmful to a range of crops and natural resources in our state. Wood products businesses and fruit growers could be especially vulnerable, and we want your help in watching out for this pest and eliminating any you find.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
