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The increased efforts have followed the discovery of the Spotted Lanternfly, which has spread rapidly throughout Westchester, county officials announced on Tuesday, Aug. 1.
An invasive species, the Spotted Lanternfly can cause "significant damage" to parks and wooded areas by sucking sap from plants, which can leave them vulnerable to disease and threats from other insects, officials said.
The juveniles of the species are identified as black or red spotted nymphs, which become more moth-like with white wings as they mature into adults. Any residents who spot them should kill them, according to county officials.
To fight back against the outbreak of the species, the county's Parks Department is surveying populations and figuring out the best non-toxic sprays to use against them. The department is also using high-powered commercial vacuums to suck up large congregations of lanternflies in county parks.
Additionally, the Parks Department is also partnering with the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference’s Conservation Dogs, who are trained to smell the species' eggs to detect them before they emerge, stopping the next population waves before they can be a threat.
"The Spotted Lanternfly has become a nuisance – and a potential threat – in Westchester County," said County Executive George Latimer, who added, "The steps and suggestions recommended by the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation should be taken seriously and I urge the community to come together to help reduce this invasive.”
Homeowners who encounter the species can use power washers and vacuum cleaners to kill the species, as stomping on them usually does not work because of their speed, officials said.
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