Michigan vineyards keeping an eye out for spotted lanternflies
(CBS DETROIT) - The spotted lanternfly has been detected in Michigan. The invasive species can be destructive, feeding on a wide range of plants. One of their biggest targets is grapes.
"We have six different varieties of grapes, three red and three white," said Jessica Youngblood, the owner of Youngblood Vineyard in Macomb County.
The recently detected spotted lanternflies were found in Monroe County, far from her vineyard, but she said the insects are a worry for all vineyard owners.
"What the spotted lanternfly do, is they come in here and they start feeding on the bark, sucking out the sap," she said.
The insects then leave behind a sugary fluid that causes sooty mold and attracts other pests.
The damage to crops is costly, but so is fighting the bugs.
"An insecticide specifically targeting a spotted lanternfly, maybe $50 an acre. So, with my 25 acres that I have, if I'm spraying that at $50 an acre, time 25 acres, times 12 to 14 times a season. Nobody wants that expense," said Youngblood.
Youngblood is the chairperson of the National Grape Research Alliance Board of Directors. The nonprofit is working with scientists and winemakers across the country to stop the spread of spotted lanternflies. She and winemakers will travel to the original infestation zone to study them.
They will travel in September to Pennsylvania, where the insects were first seen in 2014. They have since spread to 17 states.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said it found a small population of juvenile spotted lanternflies in Monroe County, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the finding on June 17.
They were detected through monitoring traps in Lambertville deployed by Michigan State University. Scientists are now working to determine the size of the infestation and the appropriate response.
If you encounter a spotted lanternfly, the state asks you to "See it, Squish it, and Report it."
That's the campaign you'll soon be seeing on billboards in Michigan, aimed at stopping the spread of the bugs.
"We need the public to be our eyes and ears," said Robert Miller, an invasive species prevention and response specialist with MDARD.
Miller said if you find a spotted lanternfly, you can report it online through Eyes in the Field, making a note of the date, time and location of the sighting. Miller said early detection is vital.
"We do know that spotted lanternfly really like to hitchhike," he said.
He said people should check their vehicles, park with windows closed, and remove and destroy any pests.
