Invasive Bugs Could Be Hiding In NYC Christmas Trees: Schumer

NEW YORK, NY — A real-life Grinch is hitching a ride on some Christmas trees heading to New York and could threaten green spaces in New York city and state, Senator Chuck Schumer recently announced.

The invasive Spotted Lanternfly species — native to China and Southeastern Asia — was found on Long Island and more may be on their way to the Empire State, Schumer said. The bug's eggs may survive a trip to Manhattan or other New York destinations on Christmas trees headed to the city from out of state.

Schumer warned that if New York state doesn't receive federal funds to beat back the Spotted Lanternfly, it could soon be feeding off the sap of the 20,000 trees in Central Park, endangering the beloved green space and others like it.

"If there is one thing New Yorkers can agree upon it is that this concrete jungle needs more tress, not less. That’s why I am calling federal attention to an insect that if gone unchecked could sink its teeth into our outdoor spaces like Central Park and leafy neighborhoods we love," Schumer said in a statement. "The Spotted Lantern fly may sound like a cute name, but it is no love bug."

New York's senior senator said everyday New Yorkers can help keep the state protected from the Spotted Lanternfly by learning how to identify the invasive species, investigate their Christmas trees for egg masses and to contact the state Department of Environmental Conservation if evidence of the Spotted Lanternfly is found.

The species feeds on the sap of more than 70 types of plants, which leaves the vegetation vulnerable to disease and attacks from other insects, according to a press release sent by Schumer's office. Live specimens have been found in Suffolk County and dead specimens were found in Delaware, Albany and Yates counties.

"Any chance for some of these unwelcome bugs to hitch a free ride to Manhattan is a chance we cannot take," Schumer said in a statement.

Photo by David Allen/Patch