An invasive insect menace capable of reaping untold destruction to Ontario’s agriculture industry may have already crossed the U.S. border into Canada.
The spread of the dreaded spotted lanternfly through the U.S. northeast has concerned officials in Canada for years, and those worries could now be a reality as three of these insects have allegedly been spotted in Ontario in September alone.
Native to China, the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is a planthopper species easily identified by its black-on-white spotted wings and red body.
While L. delicatula isn’t going to bite or sting you, its introduction to Canada — now looking more likely than ever — could deal a heavy blow to the economy by defoliating major cash crops nationwide.
Officials at the Canada Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) have not yet confirmed the presence of the species in Canada, though Canadians have been warned about the lanternfly with instructions to mercilessly kill the insects on sight and immediately report them to invasive species authorities.
On a CFIA page covering the spotted lanternfly, the agency advises the public to “Inspect items stored outside for egg masses, including your vehicle and patio furniture.”
“Look closely at things like tarps, yard and garden items, and sports equipment. Check your yard as well, as the spotted lanternfly could be on your trees and plants,” reads the CFIA page.
These are warnings people should absolutely take to heart as, if left unchecked, the spotted lanternfly could attack over 70 species of plants and trees in the country, uprooting fruit orchards, the maple syrup industry, and vineyards throughout Ontario and the rest of Canada — industries with a combined annual output of over $530 billion.
Ontario on the defensive as destructive new invasive pest lurks across border https://t.co/FTJ7tCUqmF #Ontario
— blogTO (@blogTO) August 28, 2023
These sectors may still be holding out hope that the lanternfly invasion can be stopped at the border, though these hopes may soon be dashed as evidence of a Canadian spotted lanternfly population mounts.
In addition to flagging sightings to the CFIA, which does not publicly release records of sightings, members of the public can report spotted lanternfly encounters using the online platform iNaturalist, where user-submitted reports are visible for all to see and comment on.
Sightings of the spotted lanternfly recorded on this platform in Ontario date back as far as 2022, but two whole years since the first likely sighting of the species in Canada, an official confirmation of the pest invasion has not yet been released by the CFIA, leaving the public largely in the dark about the threat at hand.
These sightings seem to have reached a head in the past few weeks, with three Ontario sightings logged in rapid succession in September, including two just blocks apart.
A user on the platform reported seeing one of the insects along Toronto’s Lake Ontario shoreline in September and shared a photo of what appears to be a spotted lanternfly sitting on a wood slat bench.
This was just one of three reported spotted lanternfly sightings shared on iNaturalist in September, documented along with additional photographed reports suspected to be the species in Windsor’s Devonshire Heights neighbourhood and another just a few blocks away on Mark Avenue.
In all three cases, other users of the platform overwhelmingly agreed that the insects in question were indeed the feared L. delicatula.
While both of the recent Windsor reports could very well be lone hitchhikers originating from across the river in Detroit, the September sighting in Toronto and previous sightings elsewhere in the region could be evidence that populations are reproducing on this side of the border.
Despite a lack of confirmation from the CFIA that the spotted lanternfly has made it across the U.S. border and into Canada, the evidence of an insect incursion is mounting.
Ontario’s agricultural industry may already be under attack, and farmers and winemakers may still be entirely clueless about the threat looming on their doorstep due to the lack of an official acknowledgement that the species has established itself in Canada.
blogTO has reached out to the CFIA seeking comment on the evidence of a spotted lanternfly invasion in Canada.
The agency told blogTO in an email statement that is “has not detected or confirmed any established populations of spotted lanternfly in Canada at this time.”
The CFIA acknowledges that it “continue[s] to receive reports, directly and indirectly (i.e. via iNaturalist), of SLF observations in various locations across Canada,” but stops short of confirming these reports.
According to the agency, “The CFIA follows up on sightings of SLF reported by the public and these observations help enhance monitoring and survey activities in areas where there have been sightings or interceptions.”
While it has otherwise kept quiet about the insect’s possible presence in Canada, the CFIA states that it “continues to raise awareness about this pest so that everyone knows how to recognize it, where to look for it, how to report it and what to do if they see it.”
“If people understand the risk, care about the impact and know where to look and what to do, we have a better chance of keeping this pest from establishing itself and spreading in Canada.”
