Since the summer of 2020, the Spotted lanternfly has taken up residence in New York and gained an infamous reputation for itself. Its introduction has made significant impacts on agricultural establishments, especially the grape and wine industry; if allowed to continuously populate, lanternflies could severely hinder agricultural production, speculated to cause over $300 million in damages for both New York and Pennsylvania.

Not only are spotted lanternflies a financial burden but an ecological one as well. The pest is known to consume over 70 different types of plant species, which could spell disaster for the biodiversity of native New York ecosystems.

Support for this petition would help to address the issue before it reaches calamitous proportions. If the lanternfly population goes unchecked for too long, the financial and biological losses could leave long lasting effects on the economy and the environment. With your help, we can achieve more government intervention in managing pest numbers, promote federal funding for further scientific research, and potentially implement more lessons on invasive species into environmental science curriculums.

For additional information: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/resources/pests-diseases/hungry-pests/the-threat/spotted-lanternfly/spotted-lanternfly 

Website: https://bestthepest.weebly.com/