Sadly, it was just a matter of time.
I spotted this critter, the both aptly and unaptly named Spotted Lanternfly, while I was putting peanut butter out for the Flying Squirrels. Aptly as it is spotted. Unaptly as it is not a fly.
I was not pleased.
It took a moment, but when I recognized it I immediately tried to smash it. It hopped away. Not surprising as it is a planthopper. (Thus "Spotted Lantern Planthopper" would be a more appropriate moniker.)
I looked around but could not find it. I was even less pleased. Fortunately, as they are want to do, it hopped. I saw it, and ... I missed it again. By now Patty had come out and joined the chase. She spotted it. This time I did not miss.
SMASH!
It was not dead. Even less pleased.
Fortunately I had grabbed it, of course to take its picture. And it started moving. So, with Patty's help, I got in in a plastic container. The two images above are while it was still alive in said container. The image below is after thirty minutes in the freezer. It's not moving anymore.
We live in Burlington County, NJ, one of the NJ counties under Spotted Lanternfly quarantine. So as I started this post, it was just a matter of time.
Ironically, I had just yesterday emailed Anne Johnson, as birdsbitingbadbugs@gmail.com, who, as you may have surmised from her email address, is conducting a study on birds, and other critters, that may prey on Spotted Lanternfly, and other invasive insects, that we had not seen any in our yard.
The email exchange was about whether or not the Lanternflies eat Milkweed, and if it is toxic to them. She wrote that it is unknown, as no studies have been done. I noted that while we have plenty of Milkweed, we've no Lanternflies, so I couldn't do that study either.
Time to get studying it seems.
I am still not pleased.
🐞 🐞 🐞 🐞 🐞
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