The pesky flying insect spotted lanternfly is set to return this year, but New York State predicts that the emergence could happen sooner rather than later, which could catch at-risk agricultural businesses off guard.
The reason could be due to the stretch of summer-like weather during the early weeks of spring and as temperatures continue to climb -- something that could jumpstart the spotted lanternfly timeline, according to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
"In fact, with the warmer weather New York State is facing, we expect that SLF [spotted lanternfly] may hatch earlier this year, within the next month or even sooner, in NYC, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley," Director of Plant Industry Chris Logue told NBC New York.
Brian Eshenaur studies invasive species at Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and New York State Integrated Pest Management (NYSIPM). He says that hatching could be bumped up to early May.
"With that jumpstart, it also means they could become adult spotted lanternflies (the stage we all recognize) sooner. So, they may occur earlier than we would normally see them which is about the third week in July," said Eshenaur to News 4.
Source: nbcnewyork.com
Photo Credit: gettyimages-kotenko-a
Categories: New York, Crops