“Stomping out” a species that is here to stay

When I moved to New York City last summer, one of the first things I noticed was the fervor with which East Coasters are trying to stomp out invasive spotted lanternflies. These bugs were detected in the United States in 2014, and made their way to New York during the pandemic. As this invasive species’ range continues expanding, they’re causing agricultural damage — according to a worst-case scenario estimate from the New York’s Department of Agriculture and Markets, the spotted lanternfly could cost the state up to $300 million dollars each year. To this day, they’ve been at the center of widespread media campaigns urging people to stomp them out. I wanted to know where this whole stomping idea came from, and how New York got to this point. I also couldn't help but wonder — have we been talking about spotted lanternfly all wrong? IMAGE: A spotted lanternfly perches on a branch. This invasive species arrived in the United States in 2014, and has been spreading ever since. [Credit: Magi Kern via Upsplash] MUSIC: Slimheart [Blue Dot Sessions] | Thimble Rider Theme [Blue Dot Sessions] | The Cornice [Blue Dot Sessions] | Scienceline theme by Jahzzar at the Free Music Archive