ALBANY – The invasive Spotted Lanternfly has been confirmed in the Hudson Valley and Catskills.
The State Department of Environmental Conservation said the bug is an invasive species from Asia that was first confirmed in New York on Staten Island in August.
Adult Lanternflies and egg masses have since been found in Port Jervis, Sloatsburg and Orangeburg.
Sullivan County Parks Commissioner Brian Scardefield told a county legislature oversight committee on Thursday the insect has now been detected at Lake Superior Park in the Town of Bethel.
“New York State invasive species biologists found a Spotted Lanternfly. It’s one of the many little bugs that are coming from overseas or different areas like the Emerald Ash Borer or the Asian Longhorn Beetle. They are starting to destroy our forests so we have to be on the lookout for that,” he said.
The insect has also been found in Ithaca.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball said the Spotted Lanternfly “can be devastating to New York agriculture, including some of our leading crops, such as apples and grapes, which is why we have been aggressively working to prevent tis pest’s establishment in New York.”
