STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — They are destructive. They are annoying. According to environmental experts, spotted lanternflies will be hatching in larger numbers than last year throughout New York state, including NYC, within the next 30 days.
In 2023, during the spring, summer, and fall, people in Staten Island were happy to see fewer spotted pests. However, other boroughs like Manhattan and Brooklyn had a lot of them during that time.
According to José R. Ramírez-Garofalo, an ecologist at Rutgers University and the newly elected president of Protectors of Pine Oak Woods on Staten Island, Staten Islanders can expect to see more spotted lanternflies this year compared to 2023.
The plant hopper is a type of insect that originally comes from China and southeast Asia. It is difficult to see, even more difficult to get rid of, and it causes harm to the environment. The insects eat more than 70 different types of plants, including tree-of-heaven. They are a danger to plants and crops that are important for New York’s agricultural economy.
A Normal Year
According to Ramírez-Garofalo, because we had a winter with temperatures that were more typical, the number of insects will definitely increase. “I believe that this year we will likely return to a normal year,” said Ramírez-Garofalo, who is also the director of science and research development at Fresh Kills Park. “I think we will go back to the usual numbers that we saw two years ago.”
In 2021 and 2022, residents complained to the Advance/SILive.com that there were a large number of pests that were damaging their trees and plants. These pests made it difficult to enjoy outdoor activities as they swarmed around.
Some people said they stayed inside all summer because bugs flew into their face and stuck to their clothes. They reported that indoors was also not a safe place.
Last fall, environmental experts advised Staten Islanders to get rid of egg masses. These masses can be found on trees and look like large white-and-brown splotches. The goal was to decrease the number of these masses we would see in the spring.
Ramirez-Garafolo is not sure if it’s a good idea to recommend that, because residents who mean well might unintentionally harm native species, which could do more harm than good.
Also Read: Immigrant Found Dead Behind NYC Pizzeria Was ‘hissy-pissy drunk’
He said that there isn’t much we can do except tolerate them. He mentioned that over time, the natural ecological process will decrease the number of invasive species. He said that other species will eat them and they can also get infected by diseases, among other threats. He said that the government’s efforts to reduce the spread of the virus and protect agriculture will also have an impact.
Last Year Warning
Last autumn, environmentalists, including Ramírez-Garofalo, cautioned Staten Islanders not to feel too secure about the decreasing spotted lanternfly population, as it is expected to increase again. He warned that the numbers would be affected by winter temperatures.
“I believe it will depend on what we observe during the winter,” he mentioned. He explained that the insects require a period of cold temperatures to thrive, and the mild temperatures of last winter negatively impacted their population in Staten Island and New Jersey. “But I do expect that we will reach the highest number of visitors again, just like the rest of the city did this year,” he added.
The Department of Agriculture encourages the public to contact The New York State IPM Program for information on how to control spotted lanternflies on their property.
If you buy something or create an account by clicking on a link on our website, we might get paid. When you use this website, you agree to our User Agreement. This means that we may collect, record, and store your clicks, interactions, and personal information. We may also share this information with social media and other third-party partners, following our Privacy Policy.
Leave a Reply