Lantern Flies Are Hitching Rides South on The Delaware River

My buddy Paul is up near Wilmington, Delaware fishing the Delaware River this evening. There are hundreds, possibly thousands of lantern flies floating by the boat. Many are siting on debris headed south. Never occurred to me these would hitch a ride on the water. This is one way invasive species spread without anyone even knowing.

If Sussex county gets infested with these lantern flies, like the north is becoming. Farmers will have some serious issues with their crops being ruined. Pfeiffer orchards, and Harvest Ridge winery to name a couple. Anyone gardening will have issues as well. It is their waste from eating plants, that gets all over produce and vegetables, and ruins the crop. They eat just about everything. If you see any Lantern Flies contact the Delaware Agriculture department and kill them, this flotilla of invasive species won’t be easy to combat at all. Hopefully the fish will help out.