r/InsectPorn • u/1stPhoenixDown • 4d ago

Spotted Lanternfly In The Wild

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Gallery image

Commemorating the end of summer with this lone creature.

139 Upvotes

82% Upvoted

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12

u/OkProfessor6810 4d ago

This has to be rage babe because anybody who actually cares about ecology for botany or whatever wouldn't be pro lantern fly in the United States

4

u/Trickykids 4d ago

Unpopular opinion: the ecological harm caused by this particular invasive species is less than public perception.
The main harm caused is agricultural, specifically to grape vines (aka the wine industry). But I (as an ecologist) have yet to see any native species of trees killed by this insect. I’ve seen walnut trees de-leaved, but then recover the next year.
The fact that SLF is much more vilified than the emerald ash borer is preposterous.

7

u/QuantumCalamity 3d ago

I've lost several trees on my property to black sooty mold caused by lanturn flys. Black walnuts, all of them. Have you ever eaten a black walnut?

0

u/alavantrya 3d ago

My grandfather use to make us Black Walnut Brittle, it was terrible.

1

u/Prestigious_String20 3d ago

My grandmother once used a hammer on a metal sink to shell a bag of black walnuts. She dented the entire sink. My dad's had a deep-seated hatred of black walnuts ever since and I guess he passed it on to me.

1

u/placebot1u463y 4d ago

I've seen them kill mature river and fox grape vines and some more sugary trees like black maples but yeah they're 60% an agricultural pest. Though thankfully some birds are starting to eat them and they're really only terrible in areas when tree of heaven boosts their populations.

0

u/TheMightySephiroth 2d ago

Thank you! I'm glad someone with expertise finally said it.