Invasive Species Centre’s Program Development Coordinator, Mandy Ehnes, took time last week to discuss the possible arrival of the invasive spotted lanternfly (SLF) with TVO’s Justin Chandler. SLF populations, found in many U.S. states, have been encroaching on Canada’s border.
SLFs are native to China, India, and Vietnam, and were first found in the U.S. in 2014. They are of special concern to the Niagara Region, where infestations could have negative impacts on the wine industry.
Particularly easy to miss, female SLFs can lay many eggs on a variety of surfaces, where they harden and can appear as though they are dirt. Checking your belongings before leaving a known infested area, being able to identify the pest, and reporting any sightings of SLF and Tree of Heaven (the primarly host of the SLF) are critical to help prevent a major infestation.
To read Mandy’s interview and learn more about the SLF, click here
