Eggs of the spotted lanternfly have been discovered on a metal art installation that traveled to California from New York. This has raised concerns among winemakers, as this species is a notorious pest of grapevines and other crops. Experts fear that these insects could devastate this year’s harvest. California’s legendary wines are renowned worldwide, accounting for 80 percent of all wine production in the United States.
The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) has warned that the eggs could hatch into insects in the coming weeks, posing a significant threat to the wine industry. If they destroy the harvest, it could lead to a spike in wine prices across the country. Natalie Collins, president of CAWG, noted that the spotted lanternfly has previously been found in 18 states. According to her, these aggressive insects feed on the sap of grapevines, leaving sticky residue on the clusters and leaves. This weakens the health of the vines and often leads to their death.
Earlier this spring, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a warning about the spotted lanternfly eggs, which appear as spongy brown masses that cling to cars, trees, and any other hard surfaces. If eggs are found, experts recommend scraping them off the surface immediately, placing them in a plastic bag, and disposing of it in the trash. This way, the future offspring of these invasive insects do not survive, as reported by the Daily Mail.
What else is known about the spotted lanternfly? Typically, the insects hatch from their eggs in the summer and reach adulthood by late fall, coinciding with California’s grape harvest season. It is known that spotted lanternflies feed on over 70 plant species, leaving behind a black sap that weakens vegetation. Both nymphs and adults damage crops by sucking sap from stems and branches, reducing photosynthesis, weakening the plant, and ultimately leading to its death.
Experts believe that the pests initially arrived in the U.S. as an egg mass on a shipment of stone imported from China. Pennsylvania was the first state to identify this insect in 2014. Just five years later, it was determined that eradicating this species costs the state $50.1 million annually. Now, California officials are concerned that spotted lanternflies could wreak havoc on the region’s famous wineries.