Tawny Simisky Discusses the Lanternfly's Spread Through Massachusetts
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Tawny Simisky, a UMass Extension entomologist in the College of Natural Sciences's Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, has been watching the spotted lanternfly's northward spread through Hampshire County, MA—home to UMass Amherst—with some concern, particularly because the invasive insect is an exceptionally effective hitchhiker. She recently shared her thoughts with publications such as MassLive and The Daily Hampshire Gazette.
While the lanternfly can travel only a few miles on its own each year, Simisky explained to the Gazette that humans can inadvertently transport it much farther, as adults climb into vehicles or egg masses cling to cars and other surfaces. The pest feeds on more than a hundred plant species, but grapes are especially vulnerable, making its arrival a growing concern for the region's vineyards. For now, Simisky and other experts are urging residents to report sightings and inspect their vehicles, helping slow the insect's spread while populations remain relatively small.
"Spotted lanternflies can only move three to five miles per year on its own by walking, hopping or taking a short flight. They travel longer distances the same way humans do: by car. 'This can be as simple as a vehicle stopping at a gas station, and an adult [lanternfly] accidentally hopping into an open window, and then moving to the next point in the destination,' Simisky said."
— The Daily Hampshire Gazette
Learn more at MassLive and The Daily Hampshire Gazette.