Spotted lanternflies are a new invasive species that are currently found in 11 states including Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Don’t let the spotted lanternfly’s gentle appearance of gray forewings with black spots fool you – these species are in fact quite detrimental to nature. The spotted lanternfly causes serious damage: Sap oozes from bark, leaves wilt and curl, and overall dieback occurs in trees, vines, crops, and many other types of plants. It is very important that, when you encounter a spotted lanternfly, you kill it. 

Middletown High School South’s Environmental Science department is currently hosting its own spotted lanternfly contest. “The spotted lanternfly kill contest is aimed at bringing awareness to the school community about new invasive species that are currently threatening New Jersey,” Mr. Drobish, Environmental Science teacher at Middletown South, said. The instructions are simple: kill a spotted lanternfly and either take a photo or bring it into class to earn your points. Mr. Drobish says the class with the most kills will earn a reward of their choosing!