Pest spotted in Illinois could threaten Missouri grapes, fruit trees

(Missourinet) — No sign of the destructive, spotted lanternfly in Missouri just yet, but it has been spotted near Chicago. University of Missouri Urban Entomologist Emily Althoff says this moth-like insect is colorful and has a big appetite for grapes, fruit trees, and dozens of other plants…

“The big concern with spotted lanternfly is that it can lay its eggs on metal, which is a problem when we’re shipping all kinds of different products around the country, on plane trains and automobiles, it can hitch a ride.”

She says the insect feeds on sap and leaves behind a sugary substance that creates mold on plants. The adult lanternfly is about one inch long, and is red, yellow, black, and grey.

It has not made its way to Missouiri, but Althoff says if it does, it would be bad news…“it’s in this group called Plant Hoppers and the tricky thing about spotted Lantern fly and all of the insects that fall within this group of plant hoppers, called Fulgoroidea, is that we don’t know a lot about them.” Althoff says they know the insect has a big appetite for about 70 plants.