Killing spotted lanternflies became part of U.S. culture this summer, and TikTok users spurred a flurry of bug hunting. Experts say those efforts might have curbed the species’ spread to some degree, but the pests are here to stay.
Efforts to kill the bugs turned hundreds of TikTok users into lanternfly hunters asNow, as adult lanternflies begin to perish during the winter, experts say those efforts might have curbed the species’ spread to some degree. But their eggs can survive the cold to hatch in the spring, so a new generation of lanternflies is expected to swarm when the weather warms.
“For crops, it’s a really serious pest,” said Kelli Hoover, a professor of entomology at Pennsylvania State University. “Vineyards are having to spray many, many times more than they normally would to try to keep lanternflies under control.” “Each day I’m finding another tree or another plant that I didn’t know they fed on,” Volker said. “It sucks the life out of them, so think of them like little plant vampires.”Anne Johnson, a doctoral student studying the spotted lanternfly in Hoover’s lab at Penn State, believes the viral trends can make a difference. Although the Agriculture Department is working with states to control lanternfly populations, she said, most government efforts will affect only public lands.
Spotted lanternflies are native to China, where they don’t often become a pest. But here, they have no consistent natural predators. Some birds and insects, such as spiders and praying mantises, eat them occasionally, but chemicals in the bugs’ bodies make them bitter.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
YouTube is bringing shopping features to Shorts as it chases TikTokCreators will be able to tag products in Shorts videos.
Read more »
Ohio State Highway Patrol recruits new troopers with TikTokThe Ohio State Highway Patrol is taking a different avenue to recruit new troopers. The agency said it will harness the reach of social media and use the platform TikTok.
Read more »
TikTok Unveils Its Annual Discover List2022's best TikTok creators, from changemakers and foodies, to icons and innovators.
Read more »
Julia Fox Is in Her Hot Take Era, and It’s InspiringThe actress’s unhinged TikTok videos have launched a feminist awakening.
Read more »
Groom smashing wedding cake in bride’s face ignites TikTokA groom was labeled “a walking red flag” after a wedding day prank on his new wife went viral.
Read more »
These TikTok Cult Favorites Are On Sale For Black FridayShop TikTok’s trendiest items for your home, kitchen, closet and more — all at low prices for Black Friday.
Read more »