SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Much of Pennsylvania is under quarantine, but this time it's not COVID. The order is an early warning to stop the spread of the spotted lantern fly, the pest that's been destroying vegetation in NEPA for years.
Lackawanna County is just one of 52 counties within Pennsylvania that are part of the quarantine.
The goal is to stop the spread of spotted lantern flies and to save the economy.
A quarantine has taken over the state of Pennsylvania, but this order is nothing new to the Commonwealth.
It started 10 years ago when the first spotted lanternfly crossed state lines.
"It doesn't belong here, it's an invasive, it's not a native species. And it has spread kind of slowly until 52 Pennsylvania counties now have known lantern fly infestations, so they are quarantined," said Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Press Secretary Shannon Powers.
According to a map provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Wayne, Monroe, Pike, Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Schuylkill Counties have joined the quarantine order.
Sanctuary designation removed for Lycoming CountyIn those areas, the attempt to get rid of lanternflies begins with the source of the spreading: People.
"People are the primary spreader of lantern flies. They don't move very far, they hop on cars and in belongings. They hitchhike, so we tell people to look before you leave," Powers explained.
Those who live in the quarantined counties are not permitted to move any goods or products with lantern flies attached at any stage of their lives and are urged to destroy the bugs on site.
Powers says the insects not only destroy the agriculture industry but ultimately the economy.
"We knew basically from the countries where they're native what products they damaged and fed on, what crops. But we didn't know how they were going to behave here," Powers continued.
How they behave in PA is by targeting one of the biggest money makers in the state: Grapes.
Powers says Pennsylvania is fourth in the nation for the wine and grape production, a ranking that won't stay for long if the lanternflies have their way with our grape vines.
"They're shooting out this sticky stuff that coats everything, it'll block photosynthesis. They don't eat the grapes, they don't eat fruit. They damage the fruit and make it unusable," Powers added.
To report lantern fly sightings, you can call 1-888-4BAD-FLY (1-888-422-3359) or go online to see the map of the affected areas.