Sep 22, 2026 · 10 min · 9 segments
Spotted Lanternflies have gained widespread attention after persistent calls to squash them on sight. But is the campaign effective? And as they move into the Northeast, what risk do they actually…
Annie BennettHostBrian EschenhauerGuest
David Brooks
Rachel MooreGuest
Andy WeberGuest
But what threat do they actually pose? What do they even do besides hang out on trees and sidewalks?
Spotted Leonard fly really pose a threat to grape vines and in New York State, the wine and grape industry, including tourism, are a big part of the agriculture economy.
Brian Eschenhauer is the invasive species coordinator for Cornell University's Integrated Pest Management Program.
Sometimes spotted lanternfly feed in large numbers, and when they feed, they tap into the pipework of the tree, pull out water and nutrients.
Some are filtered, the rest comes through their body as honeydew, and that honeydew rains down whatever is below it.
It can be washed off things like cars, it's basically sugar water, but it can be a nuisance that attracts the yellow jackets and honeybees and there's an increased sting threat from their presence.
David Brooks has covered the annoying insects arrival in New England for the Concord Monitor in New Hampshire.
It was first found in Pennsylvania in 2014, I believe, and it's been slowly spreading.
Right now, there's no particular sign that it'll stop spreading until basically it gets far enough north that winters will stop it.
It can be particularly bad for certain plants, and the one that matters economically is grapes.
Well, you should always care about any invasive that's reproducing wildly because they upset the ecosystem, and you don't really know what effects that's going to have.
Yeah, I think one of the reasons there's been so much interest in spotted lanternfly is because it's brand new.
It's got polka dots on its wings, its outer wings and its under wings are a reddish orange color.
And especially when you see it in the large numbers can be somewhat disconcerting.
But what threat do they actually pose? What do they even do besides hang out on trees and sidewalks?
Spotted Leonard fly really pose a threat to grape vines and in New York State, the wine and grape industry, including tourism, are a big part of the agriculture economy.
Brian Eschenhauer is the invasive species coordinator for Cornell University's Integrated Pest Management Program.
Sometimes spotted lanternfly feed in large numbers, and when they feed, they tap into the pipework of the tree, pull out water and nutrients.
Some are filtered, the rest comes through their body as honeydew, and that honeydew rains down whatever is below it.
It can be washed off things like cars, it's basically sugar water, but it can be a nuisance that attracts the yellow jackets and honeybees and there's an increased sting threat from their presence.
David Brooks has covered the annoying insects arrival in New England for the Concord Monitor in New Hampshire.
It was first found in Pennsylvania in 2014, I believe, and it's been slowly spreading.
Right now, there's no particular sign that it'll stop spreading until basically it gets far enough north that winters will stop it.
It can be particularly bad for certain plants, and the one that matters economically is grapes.
Well, you should always care about any invasive that's reproducing wildly because they upset the ecosystem, and you don't really know what effects that's going to have.
Yeah, I think one of the reasons there's been so much interest in spotted lanternfly is because it's brand new.
It's got polka dots on its wings, its outer wings and its under wings are a reddish orange color.
And especially when you see it in the large numbers can be somewhat disconcerting.
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