Press Release  MDAR Marks National Invasive Species Awareness Week with Update on Spotted Lanternfly and Box Tree Moth Management

Boston — In recognition of National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW), the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is reminding residents to observe and report any sightings of invasive species that they might find. NISAW, which runs from February 26 to March 3, calls attention to invasive species, the threats they pose, and what can be done to prevent their spread. This year, MDAR is taking the opportunity to highlight the agency’s work managing infestations of spotted lanternfly and box tree moth. 

“We continue to be vigilant in our efforts to manage spotted lanternfly, since we’ve seen the destruction this pest has caused in other states,” said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle. “With box tree moth, we’re working with our partners at USDA to mitigate their spread. We thank the public for their continued assistance in reporting these and other invasive species to MDAR.” 

Spotted lanternfly (SLF) feeds on the sap of over 100 plant species but causes the most serious damage to grapevines, black walnut, and the invasive tree-of-heaven. During the late summer and fall, spotted lanternflies congregate in large numbers, covering surfaces with a sticky substance called honeydew that can be a major nuisance for residents, outdoor recreation, and agritourism.  

MDAR has been at the forefront of slowing the spread of SLF as this pest continues to appear in cities and towns across the state. This winter, MDAR survey crews in the Division of Crop and Pest Services visited municipalities where SLF infestations had been confirmed over the summer, removing more than 6,000 egg masses from trees, sides of buildings, vehicles, and many other surfaces. The crews destroy egg masses within easy reach, using plastic scraper cards, and use paint scrapers on long poles to reach egg masses that are high up in the trees. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has assisted in removing SLF egg masses in some Western Massachusetts locations.

MDAR has also been working with USDA to monitor for box tree moth, an invasive pest of boxwood shrubs, found in Massachusetts for the first time this past summer on Cape Cod. The caterpillars of this insect feed on the leaves of boxwoods and at high numbers can completely defoliate a shrub, eventually killing it. MDAR assisted USDA with their trapping and survey efforts in Barnstable and Plymouth County last summer and fall. This year, MDAR will be deploying their own traps at nurseries and sites with large plantings of boxwoods, focusing on southeastern Massachusetts as well as locations along the border with abutting states.

Anyone who encounters a suspected spotted lanternfly, box tree moth, or other invasive species should upload a photo and file a report at https://bit.ly/MAInvasive.

See where spotted lanternfly, box tree moth, and other invasive species have been found in Massachusetts using MDAR’s interactive Pest Dashboard https://bit.ly/pestdashtownbytown.  

Learn more about invasive species at https://massnrc.org/pests.

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