Invasive Species: Spotted Lanternfly

The spotted lanternfly is the first organism that comes to my mind when I hear the term "invasive species." This insect has exploded in population over the last 5 years in southeastern Pennsylvania, where both the Saunders Woods Preserve and I reside. The nymphs emerge around June, and they reach their full adult stage in August. With no predators eager to eat these colorful and ubiquitous invaders, they have run rampant here and are spreading to one state after another. In this slide show I go through how to identify the insect at each stage, its habitat range and preferences, the advantages it has enabling it to thrive as an invasive species, the threats it poses, and ways to reduce their outbreak.