Found one of these on the side of the house today. It's a juvenile Spitted Lanternfly. They are invasive from SE Asia, and are horrendous pests on ieconomically significant plants including soybean, grapes, stone fruits, and apples. This particular individual is a greasy spot on the sidewalk.
Thank you.
None seen here yet but have been keeping an eye out. The juvenile identification is helpful.
@Shelter @celticsfanaticentomologist
The first instar is black with white spots. This is the second. They jump quite well, too fast to spat them mostly, thought they only jump twice before they run out of energy and you can get them.
Spraying with insecticidal soap seems to be helpful. And I think there are carnivorous wasps that eat them. When the wasp nests show up, the infestation thins out considerably.
@EileenKCarpenter @Shelter In Asia, their numbers are supposedly kept in check by natural parasitoid wasps (microhymenoptera).
@celticsfanaticentomologist @Shelter
Hey, we can just import a new species of parasitic wasps! What could possibly go wrong?
@EileenKCarpenter @Shelter I'm sure the USDA's been working on that for at least a couple of years. It one of, if not THE, purpose of their job, i.e., to do all the science behind pest species.
@EileenKCarpenter @celticsfanaticentomologist
Well.
Everything worked out well for the old lady who swallowed a fly.