The spotted lanternfly has not been detected in Indiana County yet, but it seems to be getting closer. The State Agriculture Department yesterday added twelve counties to its spotted lanternfly quarantine zone, bringing the total number to 26 counties. Among the counties newly added to the list are Allegheny and Blair, the two closest counties to Indiana County that are quarantined.
In a prepared statement, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said the invasive insect is “wreaking havoc” across the state, calling for “every Pennsylvanian to keep their eyes peeled for signs of this bad bug – to scrape every egg mass, squash every bug and report every sighting. He said, “We need to unite over our hatred for this pest for our common love: Pennsylvania.”
The other quarantined counties added to the list yesterday were Beaver, Columbia, Cumberland, Huntingdon, Juniata, Luzerne, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry and York.
Businesses that operate in or travel through the quarantined counties are required to obtain a permit which is only obtainable if managers and/or supervisors complete an online course and train their employees on how to look for and safeguard against the spotted lanternfly on products, vehicles, and other means of conveyance.
For more information on the insect, visit www.agriculture.pa.gov/spottedlanternfly.
Photo credit: Penn State Extension
