Willistown Hosting Spotted Lanternfly 'Smash-A-Thon'

WILLISTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — The spotted lanternfly has been making headlines constantly it seems as the invasive insect poses a major threat to Pennsylvania's agricultural industry.

With the bugs being spotted in Center City Philadelphia and all over the suburbs, the public is encouraged to kill every single spotted lanternfly they see.

And in Willistown, officials are turning the fight against the insect into a community game.

Willistown has launched its Spotted Lanternfly SMASH-A-THON.

Now through Oct. 31, Willistown residents can win prizes for killing the insect, which feeds on tree sap and leaves dung that is deadly to trees.

Each week, you can win prizes for your part in ridding the region of the bugs.

Willistown is competing against a handful of other municipalities trying to do the same good work. Gold, Silver, and Bronze swatters will be awarded weekly to the best smashers.

To enter the SMASH-A-THON, all you need to do is tally up your totals using the Tally Sheet and submit it each Monday by 10 a.m. to mhundt@willistown.pa.us.

Get your tally sheet online here.

Winners will be posted on the Willistown Facebook page and emailed.

Participants are encouraged to send in pictures for the township to share with fellow spotter lanternfly smashers. Email Mary Hundt at mhundt@willistown.pa.us or post to the township's social media with #WillistownSLFSmash and #SLFSmashCampaign.

Contact Hundt at mhundt@willistown.pa.us or (610) 647-5300, extension 224 with questions.

Get more information on the insect from Willistown here.

Lycorma delicatula, commonly known as the spotted lanternfly, is a new invasive insect that has spread throughout southeastern Pennsylvania since its discovery in Berks County in 2014.

The spotted lanternfly presents a significant threat to Pennsylvania agriculture, including the grape, tree-fruit, hardwood and nursery industries, which collectively are worth nearly $18 billion to the state's economy.

Ailanthus altissima, commonly called Tree-of-Heaven is an invasive tree from China and harbors invasive insect species, including the spotted lanternfly.

The spotted lanternfly attacks fruit trees. It feeds on the sap in trunks, branches, twigs, and leaves. As it digests the sap, the insect excretes a substance. There may be a buildup of the sticky fluid on infested plants and the ground below. The sap also provides a medium for growth of fungi, such as sooty mold, which can cover leaf surfaces and stunt growth. Plants with heavy infestations may not survive.

Potentially at stake are Pennsylvania' grape, tree-fruit, hardwood, nursery, and landscape industries, which generate crops and forest products worth nearly $18 billion annually. The insect can also cause damage to high-value ornamentals in home landscapes and can affect the quality of life for residents.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture advises that the adult spotted lanternfly and nymphs can be mechanically destroyed, such as being swatted with a shoe.

If you encounter an egg mass, they suggest scraping the mass into a bottle that can be sealed. If you cannot scrape the egg mass into a container, mechanically destroy it as best as possible.