An invasive spotted lanternfly population has been confirmed in Berrien County, state agriculture officials said on Sept. 10.
Berrien County, located in Michigan's southwest region is about 51 miles from Kalamazoo, is a major grape-producing region of Michigan.
“While spotted lanternfly can impact plants and cause crop damage when populations are high, it does not pose a risk to human or animal health,” Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Tim Boring said in a release.
The invasive insect has previously been found in southeast Michigan, including in Wayne, Jackson, Lenawee, Macomb, Monroe and Oaklandcounties.
The latest insect population was identified through monitoring conducted by the Southwest x Southwest Corner
Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area. The insects were not found in a vineyard.
The insect is aninvasive species from eastern Asia. It was first found in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014. They feed on a wide range of plants, including the tree of heaven, grapes, black walnut trees, river birch trees, willow trees, sumac trees, and red maple trees.
When feeding, the spotted lanternfly produces a liquid that can collect on the ground and surrounding vegetation, resulting in mold that kills and discolors surrounding plants.
The spotted lanternfly has distinctive life stages. Juveniles, known as nymphs, which resemble small, wingless black and red beetles with white spots, are found in the early summer, with adults, characterized by gray to brown outer wings with black spots, emerging in late summer.
When their wings are open they show a yellow and black abdomenand bright red hind wings with black spots transitioning to black and white bands at the edge. Egg masses look like old chewing gum, with a gray, waxy, putty-like coating.
Authorities are asking residents who come across a a lanternfly to take a photo, squish the bug, and then report the date, time, and location of the sighting to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources website.
Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 'Squish it.' Spotted lanternfly population found in SW Michigan
