The Mass. Department of Agricultural Resources confirmed a detection of the invasive insect known as spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) in Townsend.

While the state has received reports of spotted lanternfly in several areas across the state over the past 4 months, these have all been individual finds, and none have resulted in established infestations. These repeated finds do, however, demonstrate the continued risk of this pest becoming established in Massachusetts. Because of this, the MDAR is asking municipalities to keep an eye out for spotted lanternfly and they are encouraging residents to report any finds.

Spotted lanternfly is an invasive sap-feeding insect that has the potential to impact a broad range of agricultural commodities, including apples, peaches, grapes, hops, maple syrup, and ornamental plants, and has the potential to negatively impact outdoor activities due to the swarming behavior that can occur in late summer. To learn more about this pest, or request free educational materials, see the links below.

-SLF fact sheet with a link to the SLF reporting form: https://massnrc.org/pests/pestFAQsheets/spottedlanternfly.html

-SLF mini poster to print and display: https://massnrc.org/pests/linkeddocuments/SLFminiposter.pdf

-Want SLF id cards, or high-quality copies of the mini poster? Order free outreach materials here: http://bit.ly/2PBjGsi