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Beauty or a Beast?

Adult and juvenile spotted lanternflies
Spotted lanternfly winged adult; 4th instar nymph (red body).

The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an insect with spectacular coloring, but that beauty comes with a cost. With a taste for almonds, apples, apricots, grapes, peaches, and plums, this invasive pest is highly destructive to crops--various estimates put the potential economic damage in the billions of dollars.

Originally found in China and North Korea, SLF was first sighted in the United States in 2014, in Pennsylvania. Since then, ARS researchers have been hot on the trail of this destructive insect.

Read Spotted Lanternfly Lands in U.S.to learn more.

Topic

Insects