The first sighting of the invasive spotted lanternfly was confirmed earlier this month in northern Kentucky, according to University of Kentucky Entomologist Jonathan Larson. A Gallatin County resident snapped a photo of the odd-looking insect in early October and submitted it through the University of Kentucky’s invasive species hotline. The report worked its way through the chain of command and by mid-October. The US Department of Agriculture confirmed adult spotted lanternflies and their eggs have made their way to the commonwealth, Larson said. “It's a big deal, because this is one of our more serious invasive species. They don't invade people's homes like brown marmorated stink bug does in the winter, but they're just really annoying.”
As reported by cbsnews.com, the spotted lanternfly is an invasive species that infests common trees, spread mold and were first confirmed in the US in 2014.
Indiana
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources confirmed the spotted lanternfly has been found in Elkhart, Porter, and St. Joseph counties. This is not the first time the spotted lanternfly has appeared in Indiana, though it is for this particular region. The invasive insect was found in 2021 in Switzerland County in southeast Indiana, and in 2022 in Huntington County in northeast Indiana.
Source: wvxu.org
