Most Pennsylvanians have probably come across, or even killed, a Spotted Lanternfly \u2014 an invasive species that threatens long-term damage.<\/p>\n
Now the little red, black and gray bugs could have research, backed by legislation, to thwart them, in addition to stomping citizens.<\/p>\n
Both of Pennsylvania\u2019s U.S. senators, John Fetterman and Dave McCormick, along with Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden and New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, jointly introduced the \u201cSpotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act,\u201d naming study of the invasive insects as a \u201chigh-priority research initiative\u201d for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.<\/p>\n
The bill amends the 1990 Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act by adding language for research and extension <\/a>grants<\/a>, for the purpose to combat the Spotted Lanternfly.<\/p>\n Fetterman, in a press release, said the species has cost Pennsylvania \u201cmillions of dollars and thousands of jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSpotted Lanternflies have ravaged crops that are critical to Pennsylvania\u2019s economy including grapevines, apples, peaches, hops and more,\u201d Fetterman said. <\/p>\n The release said studies estimate they could cost $324 million annually in damage.<\/p>\n Scurrying across at least 51 counties in the state, this year\u2019s batch of Spotted Lanternflies are reaching maturity and will start laying eggs from September through December.<\/p>\n