There’s a new pest in town—and it’s after our grapes, apples, and hops. Oh, and it could also wreak havoc on loggers, certified organic and certified naturally grown producers, and our yards. You may have heard of it: the spotted lanternfly.
The spotted lanternfly is a planthopper native to areas of Asia, particularly China, that has spread invasively through accidental introduction of its eggs to other regions including South Korea, Japan, and the United States. It was first detected domestically in September 2014 in Pennsylvania, and has since spread to most of the northeastern United States. Although it feeds widely on many different plants, the SLF displays a fondness for grapevines, fruit trees, and forest trees. Once established, it can cause the widespread loss of agricultural crops—in the state of Pennsylvania it’s estimated the SLF has caused the agricultural and forestry industries to lose several hundred million dollars annually, as well as a possible loss of thousands of jobs.
The lanternfly was detected in Virginia in January 2018, and first seen in Albemarle County in July of 2021. Its local arrival is of significant concern, a threat to our wine grapes and other crops such as apples, peaches, and hops. While area farmers have not yet seen much evidence of the pest, most agree it’s just a matter of time, and the understanding of invasive species such as SLF suggests it is probably already too late to eradicate it.
Jake Busching, winemaker at Hark Vineyards and Jake Busching Wines, has decades of experience growing grapes in Virginia. He cites previous examples of invasive pests such as the spotted wing drosophila and marmorated stink bug when he says that SLF is almost certainly here to stay. He also expresses faith in the efforts of scientists to mitigate the effects once it reaches local vineyards, noting Penn State University is out front in terms of research. “There will be seasons of difficulty and some damage, but growers in other states are leading the way with reacting,” says Busching. “So, when it gets to our region, we will have a process to deal with them.”
Henry Chiles (the 10th), whose family runs local favorites Carter Mountain Orchard, Chiles Peach Orchard, Spring Valley Orchard, and Chiswell Farm and Winery, admits he’s anxious to see what the impact will be on his crops. Like Busching, Chiles is resigned to the fact that eradication is likely impossible, and spread is inevitable. In addition to spotted wing drosophila and stink bugs, he also cites the Japanese beetle and emerald ash borer as examples of invasive species that “got away from us” in terms of quarantine and eradication efforts.
While there is currently limited awareness of SLF, Chiles says, “I think the general public will become very aware once it is better established. SLF can and will feed on landscape trees and shrubs in high numbers. The real problem for homeowners will be the honeydew [slang for the secretions of SLF], which is a sugary rich solution that quickly grows sooty mold and makes everything black, including your backyard patio set.”
Douglas Pfeiffer, fruit entomologist at Virginia Tech, hypothesizes that the risk to orchard crops, hops, and vegetables may be less than to grapevines, but that the issue needs further research. He does, however, express concern about possible effects on the logging industry. “Eggs are laid on trees and are present for about eight months of the year,” says Pfeiffer. “Since the eastern United States population is the first occurrence outside of Asia, the potential for egg movement may complicate international shipment of logs.”
“By far, the most vulnerable crop is grape, where proper management is required to avoid vine death,” Pfeiffer says, noting that current control of the issue is centered on insecticide. “While SLF is not hard to kill, during the adult stage there is a problem with continued immigration into vineyards. There are some indirect costs here that need to be considered. The sprays needed in vineyards may disrupt natural controls for other pests, so vigilance will be needed to avoid problems associated with mealybugs and leafroll virus. The added sprays themselves will pose a cost for growers.”
Ruth Saunders, whose family has been farming Silver Creek Orchards for seven generations, is ready with such a plan. She compares the current situation to developing a spray program for stink bugs in the apple orchards over a decade ago. “I feel like we are ahead of the curve with the spotted lanternfly,” says Saunders. “We know it is here, and we just need to address it when it arrives on our farm. I feel like operations that have a solid spray program and are detail-oriented in the care of their fruit will be able to deal with this pest. Vineyards that are not committed to a solid spray program may struggle.”
For Karl Hambsch, owner of Loving Cup Vineyard & Winery, the only certified-organic vineyard in Virginia, the use of synthetic insecticides is not an option, and finding alternative treatments for SLF is of utmost importance. “We only have one organic spray that might kind of work against SLF,” says Hambsch. “So, once it gets here, we will have our hands full … invasive pests are definitely a wild card that might upset the good thing we have going here.”
As scientists work on possible solutions other than insecticides, efforts are growing to slow the spread by establishing quarantine areas and eliminating SLF when found. In addition, there is ongoing education about how to recognize all the life stages of the pest, how to prevent transporting it from one area to another, and to encourage people to report seeing the lanternfly. These efforts also involve active reduction of the population of a tree known as Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven), which grows widely in Virginia. Ironically, this tree is also an invasive species and is a key host for SLF. The hope is that these efforts will slow the spread of SLF and allow more time to find potential long-term solutions.
Hambsch insists that there should be more awareness about this issue in our community. “I’d encourage folks to search for spotted lanternfly on YouTube if they want to see why SLF is so concerning,” he says. “Vineyards might be high-profile, but every property owner in our area will be affected. So, it’s an everyone problem, not just a vineyard problem. … If the community could become super-involved in monitoring, identifying, and killing the insects as soon they are found, we can buy the scientists a couple more years to work on the problem.”
It’s not just Hambsch putting out this message. According to Grace Monger, Virginia Tech’s associate agriculture and natural resources extension agent for Nelson County, “The public can help by participating in citizen science projects to track the spread and by checking their vehicles and other materials before moving them. SLF depends on human assisted transportation, so if we can educate the public … we can have a major impact. In a world with an increasingly global economy, increased transportation of goods, and increased consumer disconnect with food production, our best tool is public education.”
While Monger admits “the natural progression of most invasive species is that they’ll continue to spread despite prevention efforts,” she is careful to emphasize that it is not a futile effort. “If we never resist, all we would have would be dense monocultures of invasive species and no agriculture industry or natural world to enjoy. Chipping away at current populations and limiting spread are the two most significant management strategies.”
Monger is even more specific when talking about the area around Charlottesville. “Albemarle County produces 21 percent of the wine grapes in the state of Virginia,” she says. “If there is anyone that should be concerned about this issue, it’s Albemarle County residents. The tax dollars those vineyards bring in is substantial.”
To learn more about the SLF, go to albemarle.org and search for “spotted lanternfly.”