California wine industry leaders are warning of a “serious threat” after it was discovered that the eggs of an invasive insect species were recently shipped to the Golden State.
The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) announced in a news release earlier this week that “egg masses” of the spotted lantern fly, an invasive species from Asia that has a penchant for eating grape vines, were found in an art shipment. headed from New York to California wine country in March.
The CAWG warned that adult-looking lantern flies may hatch if “another mass of eggs has arrived in California undetected,” which could “affect the entire wine industry.” The mass of eggs found in March was the first in California. Residents are advised to be alert to the insects and report them “immediately” if they are seen.
Gary Hershorn
“This is essentially a public service announcement to raise awareness of how to identify lanternfly sightings and what to do if found,” CAWG President Natalie Collins said in a statement. “Spotted flies have been found in 18 countries and have proven to be a serious threat to vineyards.”
“These invasive insects feed on the sap of the grapevines, and also leave a sticky residue of honey on the clusters and leaves,” he added. “These activities stress the plants, reduce the health of the vines, and in some cases, can lead to the death of the plants.”
Newsweek reached for comment to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) via email on Friday night.
Spotted lantern flies are about 1 inch in size and are identified by their distinctive gray wings and red wings, both with black dots. The egg masses, which contain about 50 eggs each, are yellow-brown in color but often turn gray over time.
The adult lantern fly is a “planthopper” species that can fly only short distances. Instead, they “discovered bright red, black, and white patterns” as they flew, according to the CAWG. The group says the insects are “usually seen from July to November.”
“SLFs (touch lantern flies) are described as ‘hitchhikers’ because their egg masses can look like mud cakes and are transported in trailers, RVs, semi-trucks, containers, trains, and other forms of shipping and transportation,” CAWG. publish the country. “Eggs hatch in May/June and SLF adults appear soon after.”
CAWG encourages anyone who sees adult lantern flies in California to report the incident to CDFA by phone at 1-800-491-1899 or online at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Plant/ReportAPest.
A mass of eggs was found in a shipment of metal art installations inspected at the California Truckee Border Protection Station on March 27. The initial discovery of “11 viable egg masses in the works” resulted in the shipment being shut down and sent back to Nevada.
In Nevada, further examination revealed another 30 egg masses. The eggs are destroyed and the art installations are washed with detergent before being sent back to the Truckee station. On April 4, officials from Sonoma County—the final destination of the artwork—discovered three additional egg masses before completing the inspection.
The lantern fly that appeared for the first time appeared in the US in Pennsylvania in 2014. North Carolina State University researchers said in a paper published by the journal. Communication Biology in 2022 there is a “low probability” that the insect will reach “California wine-producing counties in 2027” and a “high probability in 2033.”
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