Kanawha County has joined the growing list of West Virginia counties where the invasive spotted lanternfly has been found.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture announced that the pest was confirmed near the intersection of West Main Street and Strawberry Road in St. Albans. The infestation was verified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Kanawha County is now the 22nd county in West Virginia where spotted lanternflies have been detected, according to a WVDA statement. The insect has also been found in Berkeley, Brooke, Grant, Hancock, Hampshire, Hardy, Harrison, Jefferson, Marion, Marshall, McDowell, Mercer, Mineral, Monongalia, Morgan, Ohio, Pendleton, Preston, Taylor, Wetzel and Wood counties.
"The WVDA is working closely with USDA-APHIS to identify and treat areas where spotted lanternfly is found," West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt said. "However, with no known native predators, spotted lanternfly will continue to spread across our state, impacting agriculture industries and private property. We hope a more robust federal effort to contain and slow the spread of these insects will be initiated soon."
The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect native to China that arrived in North America on imported goods from Asia. While young and adult lanternflies prefer to feed on the invasive tree-of-heaven, they also damage a variety of crops and plants, including grapes, apples, hops, walnuts and hardwood trees.
State officials said treating infested areas with insecticide has shown some success. They also encourage property owners to remove tree-of-heaven trees, which serve as a preferred food source for the insect.
"There has been some success treating infested areas with insecticide. Removing tree-of-heaven from your property is another step to take to slow the spread," WVDA Spotted Lanternfly Program Coordinator James Watson said. "We are also encouraging landowners who see SLF in counties not known to have an infestation, to report any sightings to bugbusters@wvda.us. It is important that we track their movement. We rely heavily on the public to aid us in this effort."
Although spotted lanternflies can fly short distances, officials say they spread most often by hitching rides on vehicles and equipment. Travelers returning from infested areas should inspect vehicles, trailers, boats, ATVs and other outdoor equipment before leaving.
Residents who believe they have found a spotted lanternfly in a county where it has not been confirmed are encouraged to report it by emailing a photo, the location and contact information to bugbusters@wvda.us.
