Fairfield County: The Invasive Pest Known as the Spotted Lanternfly is Here

Hey Fairfield County, Connecticut, we're being invaded by land and sea. Foreign creatures that will choke off our natural resources and upset the natural order of things.

I wrote an article last week about the Chinese Mitten Crab and how this invasive species from Eastern Asia has recently been found along Long Island Sound and the Housatonic River.

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There's the water portion, and just today, the Connecticut's Bureau of Natural Resources set out a public notice that another invasive species, the Spotted Lanternfly, has established itself in Fairfield County and its presence represents a threat to Connecticut's environment, residential areas, and agricultural interests.

The Spotted Lanternfly is relatively new to the United States, it's native to Southeast China, India, Taiwan, and Vietnam, according to the CT DEEP. It was first spotted in Pennsylvania in 2014, and recently, established colonies have been found in Fairfield County, and single Spotted Lanternflys have been found in numerous Connecticut cities and towns. The Spotted Lanternfly is a sap feeder, and in particular, threatens Connecticut's Apples, Grapes, Hops, and ornamental trees. 70 species of plants native to Connecticut are threatened by the Spotted Lanternfly.

What can you do to help? Take a photo of it if you see any here in Connecticut, and remember exactly where you are. Then, fill out this form, and submit it to the state. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station is holding a public hearing tonight, Tuesday May 18, 2021, at 6PM, regarding a possible quarantine order for the Spotted Lanternfly here in Connecticut. It's the first step of the process to gain the power to contain and eradicate this invasive species.