USDA-APHIS
BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) announced that a single dead specimen of spotted lanternfly, an invasive pest, was reported and confirmed at a private residence in Boston. As a result, MDAR urges the public to check for signs of spotted lanternfly adults in any potted plants that they may have received over the holiday season and to report any potential sightings of this pest on MDAR’s online reporting form by taking photographs and collecting a specimen if possible. Residents should look for large, gray insects, about one inch long, with black spots and red underwings.
“Early detection plays an important role in the protection of the economic and ecological resources of our state from invasive species,” said MDAR commissioner John Lebeaux. “We ask all residents who have received potted plants this past December to help us protect Massachusetts’ environment and agricultural industries by checking for and reporting signs of spotted lanternfly.”
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