Senator Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.) has pledged another $22 million to eradicate lantern flies, an invasive insect species that could cause millions of dollars in damage to East Coast economies. I am asking you to assign
Native to the Asian continent, the red hoverfly is a plant-eating planthopper of over 70 species. It lays eggs on outdoor surfaces such as bark, outdoor equipment, and cars in the fall, and is suspected to have reached the United States via stone shipments from China. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the bug was first discovered in Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA in 2014 and has since spread to 11 states.
But the existence of lantern flies isn’t the only thing that worries agricultural experts and economists. Pennsylvania researchers say the pest threatens millions of dollars in crops, tourism and jobs.
Pennsylvania State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences reports that if hummingbirds are not properly contained, Pennsylvania alone will lose at least $324 million and about 2,800 jobs annually. Pests feed on the sap of “fruits, ornamental plants, and woody plants” important to the state’s economy, such as the timber and wine trade. Spotted lantern flies excrete sugars that are breeding grounds for mold and fungi.
“Our findings clearly justify aggressive action by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the State of Pennsylvania, and industry stakeholders to limit the infestation of the spotted lantern fly. Our economy depends on it.” Economics and Director of the Center for Fruit Research and Extension at Pennsylvania State University.
Schumer argues that spotted lantern flies are an equally big threat to New York’s economy.
“I have been warning you about this pest for years, and now I am calling for action,” Schumer said at a press conference in Central Park. The site is now infested with spotted lantern flies. “This is a multi-million dollar threat to New York’s economy. Both tourism and agriculture are at risk if the spotted lantern fly goes unchecked.”
According to The Hill, New York’s wine and grape industry contributes $6.65 billion to the economy each year, creates over 71,000 jobs and attracts 5 million visitors annually. In addition, New York’s apple industry, with a total economic output of her $1.3 billion, creates 8,000 jobs and a gross domestic product to the state’s economy of just under $4 million.
The USDA has already invested $200 million to get rid of the pest, NBC New York reports, but Schumer said he will spend another $22 million in a budget plan presented Sunday to help with the eradication effort. I am requesting. The state is quarantining interstate shipments and conducting trap surveys to track the number of lantern flies that have been spotted.
The public has been warned about the existence of the bugs, and the USDA has issued warnings and guides on how to properly identify and kill these sighted insects. The USDA reports spotted lantern fly sightings by taking a picture and sending the information to the state Department of Agriculture or to the appropriate link listed on its website. encourage anyone to do so.