NJ vs. spotted lanternflies: Are we winning the war?

I failed as a citizen on Tuesday.

I was in a big hurry to get to work. Didn’t even shave. It was that kind of day. When I was getting into my car, I saw a spotted lanternfly clinging to the fender.

Now I should have gotten out and killed this thing. We’ve all been deputized the past few years. This is an invasive species, and we’ve all been asked to destroy them when we see them.

They’ve been spotted in all 21 counties now. Farmers are concerned for certain crops.

Spotted lanternflies spread across New Jersey

Normally, I do my part. I’ve killed countless ones of these in the past. Today I was in a hurry and I let it live. I was derelict in my duty.

Where does New Jersey stand in this war? An interesting article on nj.com shed some light on the current status of this pest.

SEE ALSO: New Jersey cemeteries among America’s most beautiful hidden gems

While in some pockets of New Jersey, their population is as strong as ever, in many other areas, their numbers are down this year.

“The populations, in terms of abundance, are variable from location to location,” said Anne L. Nielsen, an associate extension specialist in entomology at Rutgers University. “Some of the farms that we’ve looked at, the populations are still high. And at other ones, they are down. It just depends on the location.”

Officials with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture back that up. They confirm there are fewer than there had been in years past.

Weather conditions a key factor in decline

So are all those bug zappers and salt guns, and sharing of kill methods working? They’re certainly helping.

But they say the biggest factor is weather, like the drought conditions we experienced in the second half of last year.

Just how much are we winning this war? Unclear. But grapes are the main crop that could be affected, and officials are soon reaching out to those farmers to assess damage and get a better idea.

A reminder for New Jersey residents: Keep squishing

In the meantime, if you do see any, still try to squish them. Even if you’re in a hurry to get to work. Easy for me to say, I know.