Vic Ryckaert is an enterprise reporter for WRTV’s digital team. He also covered public safety, government, and development for the Indianapolis Star for more than two decades.
"Go bugs," she says, issuing the command that sends Que and his powerful nose to find the eggs of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that is infesting parts of northern Indiana and threatens the rest of the Hoosier state.
"I'll bring the dogs up and do some perimeter searching and stuff," Bontrager said."When they get tired, I'll put them away and then I'll help join in with scraping the eggs."But she’s also a dog mom who trains her animals in obedience and agility competitions. The first reported sighting of the pests in Indiana came in 2021 in Switzerland County. A year later, they were found in Huntington.The spotted lanternfly infestation is bad here in Huntington, a city of about 17,000 residents about 100 miles northeast of Indianapolis.
The bug sucks juice out of plants and excretes a sugary"honeydew" that attracts other insects and fuels the growth of a plant-killing mold. According to Purdue University Assistant Professor of Entomology Brock Harpur, beekeepers don't like spotted lanternflies because their bees feed on the honeydew, which he said fouls the taste of honey.
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.
Jury finds man guilty of attempted murder in shooting IMPD Officer Thomas ManganVic Ryckaert is an enterprise reporter for WRTV’s digital team. He also covered public safety, government, and development for the Indianapolis Star for more than two decades.
Read more »
Teen at Indiana car wash sprays rude customer with water after lemonade thrown at herViral video shows the moment a teen car wash worker in Indiana retaliates after a customer throws lemonade on her. She sprays the rude customer with a pressure hose.
Read more »
Remains found on Wolf Creek Pass in 1991 identified as Indiana manSydney Isenberg is an Emmy-nominated digital content producer with Denver7 (KMGH) in Denver, Colorado. She began her career in Bakersfield, California, after graduating from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University in 2018.
Read more »
Special Olympics Indiana wins big at NBA All Star GameGriffin Gonzalez joined WRTV as a reporter in January of 2024. He is thrilled to be back in Indianapolis, telling impactful stories in the communities he grew up in.
Read more »
Southern Indiana wins OVC title but UT Martin gets NCAA bidSouthern Indiana won the Ohio Valley Conference championship on Saturday, but Tennessee-Martin is headed to the NCAA tournament despite losing the matchup, 81-53.
Read more »
Indiana State blasts Northern Iowa 94-72 in MVC semifinalLed by Robbie Avila's 21 points and Ryan Conwell's double-double, the Indiana State Sycamores defeated the Northern Iowa Panthers 94-72 in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Conwell had 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Sycamores, who will play either Drake or Bradley in the championship game.
Read more »