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The spotted lanternfly's egg mass may look harmless, but the Invasive Species Center warns it poses a dire threat to the Windsor-Essex region's wine and fruit industries.
“It looks like an inch-long smear of dirt and can be on almost any surface outside,” said Emily Posteraro, the center's program coordinator.
Posteraro was at the Windsor Ojibway Nature Center on Monday to conduct educational workshops on the spotted lanternfly, a herbivorous insect of Asian origin that has established itself in North America over the past decade.
Over the past two years, only 10 spotted lanternflies have been recorded in southwestern Ontario. Including a bug that local resident Catherine Archer stomped and photographed in South Windsor in late September 2024.
But since 2014, spotted lanternflies have spread throughout the eastern United States.
Experts such as the Invasive Species Center warn that if the insect makes its way north, it will have a major impact on Canada's vineyards, orchards, flower nurseries and forestry industries.
Posteraro said the spotted lanternfly is such a problem because of its “generalist” diet: It can feed on more than 100 types of vegetation, from vines to perennials and deciduous trees.
The spotted lanternfly also has no preference for where it lays its eggs: almost any stationary object will do.
At this time of year, adult lanternflies have completed their breeding cycle and become extinct. But the egg mass has already been laid for hatching next spring.
Posteraro said busy border regions like Windsor-Essex need to be especially vigilant given the amount of cargo and international traffic passing through our territory.
“So if you are going to cross the U.S. border into areas with known infestations, you may want to consider having your vehicle checked on the way back,” Posteraro advised. “Really, any outdoor equipment. Firewood, concrete slabs. There are a lot of different places to look.”
The spotted lanternfly is native to China and parts of Vietnam. It is believed to have been accidentally introduced to North America through international trade.
Now that the insect lives on this continent, its superior adaptability allows it to outcompete other insect species.
But Jean Dumouchel, a Maidstone resident who attended Monday's workshop out of concern for the local environment, doesn't think the issue is about survival of the fittest.
“Charles Darwin did not transfer species from continent to continent,” Dumouchel said. “So we caused (the problem)… We contributed to the change. We can do our part to try to restore some balance again—to bring some balance back.”
Posteraro encourages anyone with evidence of the spotted lanternfly to submit it to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
“What we do is provide early detection and rapid response,” Posteraro said. “So if you spot it, we want you to photograph it, catch it and report it.”
“Take a few photos and then we want you to actually catch this specimen. You can put it in some kind of plastic bag or container and then report it to the CFIA.”
Posteraro said it doesn't matter whether the specimen is alive or dead.
Insects like the spotted lanternfly aren't the only invasive species the City of Windsor has to worry about: The municipality has announced it will be applying herbicides this winter to try to limit the spread of non-native plants.
Honeysuckle, European buckthorn, autumn olive bushes and tree of heaven are among the invasive plants under attack. The program does not involve spraying: the herbicide will be applied directly to the stumps and vines.
No parks or trails will be closed as part of the program, but park users are encouraged to stay on recognized trails and keep pets on a leash. Application of herbicides will continue until March 15.
