Spotted Lanternfly Lore: Penn State Experts Clear Up Falsehoods About Pest

With endless information available 24/7 on the internet and social media, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction.

That certainly is true in the case of the spotted lanternfly. This destructive pest has bewildered and frustrated many people since it first appeared in North America in Berks County in 2014. It’s a new insect to the U.S., and like anything new, people are seeking any bit of information they can get.

But some of that information isn’t accurate, noted Julie Urban, associate research professor of entomology in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

“The early lack of un...