Spotted Lanternfly
The Spotted lanternfly, initially found in Berks County Pennsylvania in 2014, was discovered in the New Jersey environment in July 2018 in Warren County. Following this discovery, it was also found in Mercer and Hunterdon counties. A Quarantine was initiated to slow the movement and control the further spread of this insect throughout the state. The Department and USDA field crews are out conducting surveys, assessing properties and conducting treatments against this invasive exotic insect in the Quarantine zone. As a result of surveys conducted by state and federal crews the Department is proposing to expand the Quarantine to include Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem and Somerset Counties beginning in August of 2019. Even though entire counties are identified in the Quarantine, the insect does not infest the entire county. This insect does not pose a direct threat to humans or animals but feeds on over 70 trees and plants and can cause significant damage to all sectors of the state’s agricultural industry and the forested environment as well.
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