Pest that New Yorkers were told to kill on sight found in California for first time

Eggs of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect so destructive that New Yorkers were instructed to kill any on sight, were found for the first time in California on a 30-foot-tall metal art installation headed to the Bay Area.

The lanternfly egg masses were found at the Truckee Border Protection Station in late March, the California Association of Winegrape Growers announced on Monday. According to CAWG, station staff found 11 “viable egg masses” on a large metal art sculpture that was en route to Sonoma County from New York.

Upon finding the eggs, staff rejected the shipment and sent it to Nevada, where officials discovered 30 more egg masses on other parts of the sculpture. The installation was then power washed with detergent and sent to Sonoma County under a warning hold notice. Sonoma County staff found an additional three egg masses during another inspection in which cranes were used to take the sculpture apart. The inspection was concluded after staff were sure no egg masses were left on the sculpture, according to CAWG.

The incident marks the first time spotted lanternfly eggs have been found in California. The insect presents enough risk to local plants and crops that the California Department of Food and Agriculture developed an action plan last year in the event of the bugs showing up in the state, which would include deploying an emergency response from the department and initiating an eradication authority in all counties where the insects are found.

Native to parts of China, India and Vietnam, the spotted lanternfly was first spotted in the U.S. in 2014, when it was found in Pennsylvania. It feeds on myriad plant species and causes serious damage to both plants and crops, particularly vineyards, which makes the prospect of the insects arriving in Sonoma County especially precarious. Spotted lanternflies caused “considerable, often catastrophic, damage” to vineyards after traveling to South Korea and Pennsylvania, according to CDFA.

Spotted lanternflies have “the potential to affect the entire winegrape industry,” CAWG wrote in its press release.

If additional egg masses made it into the state undetected, live spotted lanternflies may be hatching in the coming weeks, CAWG said. The insect experiences peak population growth in the late summer to early fall.

“This is essentially a public service announcement to raise awareness of how to identify a spotted lanternfly and the immediate action to take if discovered,” CAWG President Natalie Collins said in the release. “Spotted lanternflies have been found in 18 states and have proven to pose a serious threat to vineyards. These invasive insects feed on the sap of grapevines, while also leaving behind a sticky honeydew residue on the clusters and leaves. Their activities stress the plants, decrease vine health, and in some cases, can lead to plant death.”

Spotted lanternflies look different at various life stages, with the adults appearing tan-gray in color with black spots. CDFA recommends inspecting plants, trees, vehicles and trailers for egg masses or other signs of the bug, and reporting suspected findings to the CDFA pest hotline.