By STACY LIBERATORE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
An invasive species that hitchhiked from New York to California could endanger wine production in the US.
Officials recently found spotted lanternfly egg masse on a metal art installation headed to Sonoma County, marking the first sighting of the insects in the Golden State.
The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) has warned the eggs are likely to produce adult insects in the coming weeks that have ‘the potential to affect the entire winegrape industry.’ The Asian native insects, which destroy crops, can kill vines which would result in higher prices across the US as California is responsible for about 80 percent of the nation’s total wine production.
Natalie Collins, president of CAWG, said: ‘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.
‘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.’
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a warning in March regarding spotted lanternfly eggs, which look like spongy brown masses that stick to cars, trees and most hard surfaces.
USDA officials advise scraping the eggs off the surface, putting them in a plastic bag, and throwing the bag in the trash – this will ensure none survive.
Nymphs typically emerge from eggs in the summer and grow to adulthood by the fall, which is when California’s wine harvest season takes place.
Spotted lanternflies are known to feast on more than 70 types of plants and leave a black resin behind that weakens vegetation.
Pennsylvania was the first to detect the insect in 2014 and just five years later, the one-inch insect was found to cost the state $50.1 million annually.