Spotted lanternfly infestation confirmed in Amherst

AMHERST — Tests have confirmed that egg masses found along the railroad tracks that run through Amherst belong to the spotted lanternfly, a pest that destroys grapes, fruit orchards and any number of tree species. That makes Lorain County the third county in Ohio behind Jefferson and Cuyahoga where infestations of the insect have been discovered. Looking like muddy clumps, the egg masses were discovered in an Amherst tree-of-heaven patch in mid-February, according to Ann Chanon, agriculture and natural resources educator at the Ohio State University Extension Office in Elyria. Officials had hoped the eggs would be duds, she said — "Unfortunately, they all hatched." About 50 spotted lanternfly egg masses were discovered at the initial site. Ohio Department of Agriculture workers spread out, searching a tenth of a mile at a time, looking for more. "The good news is that it appears it's fairly limited," Chanon said. Spotted lanternflies are native to Asia, and first were detected in Pennsylvania in 2014. Since then, they've spread to Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia and now Ohio. They first made their way into the state two years ago at Mingo Junction on the West Virginia border. Chanon said it's believed they were carried by a train carrying trash from New Jersey. Railways have been the main way the insects have spread in Ohio, she said, calling them "good hitchhikers." Others were found at rest stops along Interstate 70. Now the state is targeting Interstate 71, Interstate 77 and the Ohio Turnpike for trapping this year to try to control the spread, she said. "We are most concerned with our grapes as a host, because they can kill grapevines," Chanon said. She is concerned about the numerous fruit orchards found in the Amherst area and has asked owners to conduct checks on their properties to protect apples, pears and berry crops. Chanon said there are also tree-of-heaven stands spread throughout the Lorain County Metro Parks, which is taking steps to protect park trees. Metro Parks Director Jim Ziemnik has been through gypsy moth and emerald ash borer infestations, and he said he's taking this situation seriously, too. He has ordered park managers to be on the lookout for suspected lanternfly eggs. That process starts at the Beaver Creek Reservation and Hollstein Reservation in Amherst, but includes all other parks across the county, he said. "This thing can be pretty aggressive. Once it gets in there, it's hard to control," Ziemnik said. Tree of heaven "is pretty expendable," he said. If evidence of the lanternfly is found, he said rangers will skip chemical spraying and cut down those trees, which themselves are considered invasive. "This pest is a great concern to the grape and wine industry," said the Ohio Department of Agriculture. "It is fond of grapevines, fruit trees, hops, blueberry, oak, pine, poplar and walnut." Egg sacks blend in well against wood, rocks, rusty metal, fences, vehicles, train cars and walls. They can be laid on just about any flat surface, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. After hatching, the spotted lanternfly goes through stages in which it first appears black with white spots and gradually morphs to be red with white dots and black stripes before going to its full mothlike phase. They feed on stems and leaves, bleeding sap and killing trees within a couple of years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has labeled them "a serious economic threat" to the grape, fruit tree and timber industries. Ohio law designates them a "destructive plant pest" and puts restrictions on anyone traveling from an infested county with items such as branches, nursery stock, firewood, logs and other outdoor items. Anyone who finds a suspected egg cluster is asked to call the Ohio Department of Agriculture at (614) 728-6400 or make an online report at tinyurl.com/SpottedLanternflyLC. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.