Over the past decade the invasive Spotted Lanternfly, Lycorma Delicatula, has made its way into 17 states and now several sightings have been reported in the counties around Houston, according to state agencies.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive planthopper originally from Asia that feeds on grapevines, hops, stone fruits, hardwood trees and 70 other known plants. The insect can spread quickly and excretes a sticky, sugary fluid that can lead to further damage to crops and plants.
Recently, there have been several unverified sightings of the insect but the USDA said in a statement Friday that it has not received any official reports. Texas A&M AgriLife also said in a statement that there are no verified sightings currently in Texas.
"Texas Department of Agriculture and USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service work together to investigate reports of suspected invasive species in Texas," the USDA said in a statement. "At this time, we do not have any verified reports of the spotted lanternfly in Texas."
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