The state Department of Agriculture last week announced that every county in New Jersey is now part of the quarantine zone for the spotted lanternfly. Joe Zoltowski, director of the division of plant industry at the state Department of Agriculture, said it’s a voluntary quarantine, not enforced by law since there aren’t enough resources to do something like inspect every truck going in or out of New Jersey. But the state is offering free programs to teach business owners about spotted lanternflies, and provide permits for people who complete the courses.
“You would train other people, other employees in your business, as to how to secure your load against the movement of lanternfly. If you see them, kill them,” said Zoltowski. “Secure your load, get them out, have your permits with you so when you go out to another state, they’re aware that you know what you’re doing.”
People should be on the lookout for eggs before they hatch soon, said George Hamilton, chair of the Department of Entomology at Rutgers University. If you see lanternfly eggs, he said, you should destroy them by scraping them into a plastic bag full of soapy water, and then throwing it in the garbage. The Department of Agriculture hopes to slow the spread of the lanternflies, which can damage crops and trees.
