Curious what the Spotted Lanternfly has to do with trucking? If you are doing business in an area where the Spotted Lanternfly is present - whether picking up or delivering a load or simply driving through - you have a responsibility to help stop the spread of this invasive species. This article examines what the Spotted Lanternfly is, why it’s dangerous to the United States, what regulations around it exist, and the actions that carriers and truck drivers must comply with to minimize its risk.

What is the Spotted Lanternfly?

Lycorma delicatula, more commonly known as the Spotted Lanternfly, is a small moth-like creature native to parts of Asia, including China, Vietnam, and South Korea. It was first discovered in the United States in Southeastern Pennsylvania in 2014. Today it is found across much of Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia. 

The Spotted Lanternfly has many life stages, as depicted in the image to the left. Because each stage looks different, it's essential to familiarize yourself with one so that you can help to identify them and prevent their spread. Spotted Lanternflies lay eggs between September and December. Their eggs hatch in May and June, during which they go through 4 immature stages, or instars. Spotted Lanternflies are black with white spots for the first three instars, between June and July, then turn red and black with white spots during the fourth instar in July. 

Once they mature, they're about an inch long and half an inch in width. 

Why is the Spotted Lanternfly Dangerous in the United States? 

While the Spotted Lanternfly may appear to be a beautiful insect, they're quite destructive. It is native to China, Vietnam, and India, where natural predators control them, but they're an invasive species in the United States. Spotted Lanternflies are dangerous because they feed on and kill 50-60 critical plants such as crops and trees such as fruit trees, grapevines, hops, hardwoods, timber, and ornamentals. Their sticky excretion also causes mold to grow on crops, leaving messy clean-up costs in residential areas.

Outside of their aggressive eating habits, the Spotted Lanternfly spread quickly by latching onto moving vehicles. Thus, they’re a high risk for uncontrollable spread and widespread destruction, and why truckers play such an important role in helping to prevent the spread. In Pennsylvania alone, the plants they eat contribute billions of dollars to the state’s economy, and its spread causes an estimated $324 million of damage.

What are the Regulations for Spotted Lanternfly?

There are regulations in place for areas where Spotted Lanternfly exists. For example, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) mandates a series of actions all residents and businesses must do to curb the spread. These actions vary based on your individual situation. You may be required to complete an e-training and obtain a permit as part of the education and awareness. There is also specific instruction on what to do if you see Spotted Lanternfly. 

Currently, there are several counties across the region under quarantine:

If you are physically present in any of the quarantine areas for any amount of time, you are responsible for complying with additional requirements to stop the spread of Spotted Lanternfly. The quarantine "strictly prohibits the movement of any SLF living stage including egg masses, nymphs, and adults and regulates the movement of articles that may harbor the insect"

Some items that must not be moved out of the quarantine area are:

• Landscape, remodeling or construction waste.
• Logs, stumps or any tree parts.
• Firewood of any species.
• Grapevines for decorative purposes or nursery stock.
• Nursery stock.
• Packing materials such as pots, crates, pallets, or others.
• Outdoor articles such as recreational vehicles, tractors and mowers, grills and furniture and their covers, tarps, mobile homes, tile, stone, deck boards, mobile fire pits, and any equipment or vehicles stored outdoors.

Anyone found non-compliant may be subject to penalties, fines, or criminal proceedings.

How Can Owner-Ops Help Minimize the Spread of Spotted Lanternfly?

There are many ways truckers can curb the spread of this invasive species. Here are 8 actions you can take to get involved.

1. Get Familiar with Spotted Lanternfly

As individuals or truck drivers, the best thing we can do is to gain knowledge of the problem and act on it to do our part to stop the spread of this insect. This brief informational video is a great place to start and will provide you with knowledge on the risk of Spotted Lanternfly and what you can do to prevent the spread.

For up-to-date information from the PA Department of Education, you can sign up for the e-newsletter.

2. Complete Spotted Lanternfly Training 

Businesses within the quarantine area and those outside the quarantine who do business within quarantined areas must undergo training to become trainers of their employees. The trainers are tested on their knowledge of Spotted Lanternfly containment and are granted a permit for the business to operate in the affected area. Oftentimes, you're required to show a decal to prove you've completed the training.

3. Obtain a Permit, if Applicable

If you're a Carrier with your own authority and doing business in the quarantine area, you will need to contact the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to find out if you need a permit to operate there. If you do, you'll also need to complete compliance training and testing before receiving your permit.

If you're an owner-operator leased to a carrier and doing business within the quarantine counties, your carrier will take the training and get the permit. The carrier is responsible for training the leased operators.

Unsure if you need a permit? Review this decision tree.

4. Comply with the Quarantine Regulations

Additionally, because of this potential destruction, certain counties within the states where Spotted Lanternfly is present have established a quarantine area. 

The problem with moving the above articles is that the Spotted Lanternfly egg smears are camouflaged and appear like regular smears of mud. Also, nymphs or adults can be attached to any hard surface.  This visual checklist for residents on potential egg mass locations is a great resource -  you can download or print it for your use.

5. Search for Spotted Lanternfly on Pre- and Post-Trip Inspections

If you're in an area where the Spotted Lanternfly is present, you'll need to look for them on your equipment as part of your pre- and post-trip inspections. This is especially important at fuel and rest stops, where Spotted Lanternflies are more likely to latch onto your equipment after being stopped for longer periods.

6. Avoid Parking for Extended Time

Spotted Latnernflies can fly into open windows and attach themselves to cars, trucks, or other vehicles. Truckers should stay moving as much as possible because the longer you‚Äôre parked, the higher the chance a Spotted Lanternfly could latch on and risk spread. Truckers should also avoid parking under trees, as this is where Spotted Lanternflies are more likely to be. 

7. Record and Report Any Sightings 

Everyone is encouraged and required to report any sightings of Spotted Lanternfly (regardless if you're in a quarantine area) online or call 1-888-4BAD-FLY (1-888-422-3359).

You can also record/report any sightings to your Department of Agriculture.

8. Destroy the Insect Immediately

The best defense against the Spotted Lanternfly in the U.S. is to destroy their mud-like egg masses before hatching. You can do this by using your credit card or another object with a hard surface to scrape downward and squish them. This will prevent them from traveling by careful inspection of goods shipped through affected states. In some parts of the quarantine, even small vehicles must have an inspection by drivers before entering the next county. 

Final Thoughts

It is up to all of us to stop the spread of the Spotted Lanternfly. Truckers, in particular, play a huge role in ensuring this happens by staying alert and aware of where you're doing business and taking the necessary actions whether inside or outside of the quarantine zone. The more we work together, the more we can protect ourselves, our economy, and our environment against the dangers of this insect.