The Spotted Lanternfly - Another Quarantine?

The last time the media found out about an invasive Asian insect, we were subjected to horrifying tales of Murder Hornets. Never mind the fact that there were only a few Giant Yellow Hornets spotted in North America...or that mosquitoes are a far more dangerous problem for human beings.

Unless you’re in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, you probably haven’t heard about the Spotted Lanternfly. But this invasive Asian insect is forcing people indoors even more than Coronavirus. And masks don’t help prevent this problem’s spread.

Hitchin’ a Ride

To be fair, these bugs are much more a problem for plants than humans. But since they feed on more than 70 plant species and reproduce rapidly, scientists want to stunt the scale of the problem.

The Spotted Lanternfly is known as a fantastic hitchhiker. Since they can’t fly long distances, they attach themselves to cars or boats to move around. The bugs are native to China and South Korea, but originally traveled to Pennsylvania on a shipping vessel. From there, they’ve spread to most of that state as well as neighboring New Jersey.

Government officials are warning residents of several counties in both states to check their cars before they leave home or work to make sure they aren’t taking some stowaways with them.

Fly Away

Thankfully, there’s very little chance we’ll see the Spotted Lanternfly anywhere in Southern Florida. The same can’t be said for fruit flies, horse flies, blowflies and house flies. All of those we’ve seen and dealt with in our clients' properties.

The good news is, our most popular service handles all of the top creepy crawlies that are found in people’s homes on the Gulf Coast of Florida. And it’s the safest and most effective insect treatment you’ll find. Try our Go Green Perimeter Plus, or upgrade to our Term Assure 365 – with world class termite protection. For more information or to schedule your first visit, just give us a call!