![]() ![]() There's concern that the sooty mold can somewhat reduce photosynthesis for trees, but we don't have data showing that yet. The good thing is, they don't bite or hurt people or animals. This becomes a big nuisance on foliage, patios, cars, lawn furniture and more. And then on top of that, a black sooty mold eventually grows. It's a clear, high-sugar, sticky substance that drips down everywhere. They suck so much sap from the plant that they excrete this substance called honeydew. But inevitably they are coming-we'll have thousands and thousands in the next few years. It most likely hitchhiked and got here by car, because we haven't seen others yet. A horticulturist from Facilities Management discovered it at Terrapin Trail Garage. We just found the first one on campus a few weeks ago. They're in most counties in Maryland except a few in the western and southern portions. They were first detected in 2014 in Pennsylvania-probably as egg masses on landscape stones shipped from Asia-and have spread quickly from there. They're a type of sucking insect that feeds on the sap of plants. What is a spotted lanternfly, and why are they all over the news right now? She breaks down the problems that spotted lanternflies can cause, what UMD community members should do when they arrive en masse and how they compare to other invasive pests. "When invasive species like these come to our country, they don't have natural enemies and our plants are defenseless, so they can reach enormous numbers and cause enormous damage," she said. News reports have urged residents to squish the bugs on sight and scrape their egg masses off of trees to stop their spread-but are these measures doing any good?Įntomology Professor and University of Maryland Extension Specialist Paula Shrewsbury has for decades studied insects including the highly destructive emerald ash borer and the brown marmorated stink bug, and she develops integrated pest management programs to control populations. About three-quarters of an inch long, with black and white spotted wings featuring a streak of red, the bug has become a nuisance in 17 states and continues to expand its range. The hitchhiking insect, native to Asia, is called the spotted lanternfly. ![]()
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