the two-barred crossbill ( loxia leucoptera ) , known as the white-winged crossbill in north america , is a small passerine bird in the finch family fringillidae .

it has two subspecies , white-winged crossbill loxia leucoptera leucoptera in north america , and two-barred crossbill loxia leucoptera bifasciata in ne europe and n asia .

the scientific name is from ancient greek .

loxia is from loxos , " crosswise " , and leucoptera means " white-winged " from leukos , " white " and pteron , " wing " .

this bird breeds in the coniferous forests of alaska , canada , northernmost united states and across asia extending into northeast europe .

it nests in conifers , laying 3 – 5 eggs .

this crossbill is mainly resident , but will irregularly irrupt south if its food source fails .

the american race seems to wander more frequently than the eurasian subspecies .

this species will form flocks outside the breeding season , often mixed with other crossbills .

it is a rare visitor to western europe , usually arriving with an irruption of red crossbills .

the crossbills are characterised by the mandibles crossing at their tips , which gives the group its english name .

they are specialist feeders on conifer cones , and the unusual bill shape is an adaptation to assist the extraction of the seeds from the cone .

two-barred crossbill has a strong preference for larch ( larix ) , in eurasia using siberian larch ( larix sibirica ) and dahurian larch ( l. gmelinii ) , and in north america tamarack larch ( l. laricina ) .

it will also take rowan sorbus berries , and in north america , also eastern hemlock ( tsuga canadensis ) and white spruce ( picea glauca ) cones .

adult males tend to be red or pinkish in colour , and females green or yellow , but there is much variation .

two-barred is easier to identify than other crossbills , especially in north america , where only red crossbill and this species occur , but some care is still needed .

within its eurasian range , this species is smaller-headed and smaller-billed than parrot crossbill and scottish crossbill , so the main confusion species both there and in north america is common or red crossbill .

the main plumage distinction from common crossbills is the white wingbars which give this species its english and scientific names .

there are also white tips to the tertials .

the adult male is also a somewhat brighter ( pinker ) red than other male crossbills .

some common crossbills occasionally show weak white wingbars , so care is needed with the correct identification of this species .

the chip call is weaker and higher than that of common crossbill .

another crossbill on hispaniola was previously treated as a subspecies , loxia leucoptera megaplaga , but is now treated as a distinct species , hispaniolan crossbill , loxia megaplaga .

it is associated with the hispaniolan pine pinus occidentalis , and differs from two-barred crossbill in darker plumage and a stouter bill .

two - barred crossbill

two - barred crossbill <EOT> the latest sighting details and map for two - barred crossbill are only available to our birdguides ultimate or our birdguides pro subscribers .

two - barred crossbill , lynford , norfolk , march 2014 ( © keith bilverstone ) . this bird is not the controversial one and clearly is a genuine two - barred . it has replaced most of its greater coverts , resulting in a much better marked wingbar than the controversial bird . however , its tertials similarly lack obvious white spots , and this is perfectly consistent with a 1st winter two - barred crossbill at this time of year .

it isn ' t impossible for the two barred seen in the area to be a misidentification . has happened locally recently .

harrop , a . h . j . , mcgowan , r . y . & knox , a . j . , 2007 . britain’s first two - barred crossbill . british birds 100 : 650 - 657 .

uppertail coverts – one feature which may prove to be diagnostic in the identification of two - barred crossbill is the colour and pattern of the uppertail coverts . svensson states “other features to note which separate l . leucoptera from l . curvirostra are darker , blackish centres to the upperparts ( esp . scap . , mantle and longest upper tc… ) … . and fine whitish tips to upper tc . ” bwp also describes adult male two - barred as having “black upper tail - coverts tipped pink - white” . in contrast , common crossbill appears to have greyer uppertail coverts , with rather diffuse paler fringes , either similar to the colour of the upperparts or rather dull buffy . the upper tail coverts also appear to me to be slightly longer in two - barred crossbill than common crossbill , perhaps corresponding to the longer tail overall of two - barred . the lynford bird appears consistent with two - barred crossbill in this regard – the uppertail coverts are distinctly blackish with comparatively broad , contrasting paler tips ; some of the shorter feathers have rather reddish tips , but the longer feathers are tipped rather strikingly just off white .

two - barred crossbill , finland , dec 2008 ©robert pekkarinen . rather like the controversial crossbill , this bird has retained most of its juvenile greater coverts , and shows only a small number of more extensively white - tipped replaced inner feathers . the tertials are also all worn retained juvenile feathers lacking large white tips .

controversial crossbill , lynford , norfolk , december 2013 ( © jonathan theobald ) . in this photo at least , the bird looks rather small - billed and round - headed . however , there is actually a large degree of overlap in biometrics between two - barred and common crossbill , so size and structure may be little help .

hybrid two - barred x common crossbill – this is perhaps the most convenient place to park the lynford bird , as has undoubtedly been the case for other controversial individuals in the past . these difficult birds often seem to occur in invasion years , alongside other two - barred crossbills . however , though hybrids have been reported in captivity , there is no documented instance of hybridisation in the wild . if they do occur very rarely , what is the likelihood of one arriving with such a small invasion of two - barreds ? as discussed above , there is not necessarily any need to invoke the hybrid option to explain the plumage of the lynford bird , which is consistent with a 1st winter two - barred crossbill after a more limited post - juvenile wing moult .

controversial crossbill , lynford , norfolk , november 2013 ( © dave astins ) . again , the uppertail coverts are long and conspicuously pale - tipped , with redder tones to the shorter feathers and whiter tips to the longer ones . the pattern of the tertial tips / edges is perfectly consistent with the pattern of worn juvenile two - barred crossbill feathers .

tertial tips – the lynford crossbill lacks the obvious pale tips to the tertials usually quoted as diagnostic of two - barred , and this has led some to condemn it out of hand . however , it appears these are only rarely replaced in the post - juvenile moult , so a 1st winter two - barred would most likely have retained all its juvenile tertials . the white tips of juvenile two - barred tertials are also much smaller than the equivalent adult feathers or just a thin white fringe round the end of the feather and , by this time of year , these would be heavily abraded . indeed , the other three two - barred crossbills at lynford recently have also lacked white tertial tips and both the controversial bird and those three show very worn feathers . in addition , in photographs taken of the controversial bird back in november , it appears to show slightly more white here . so the lack of white tertial tips is entirely consistent with a 1st winter two - barred .

fischer , s . , g . mauersberger , h . schielzeth & k . witt ( 1992 ) : first breeding record of two - barred crossbill ( loxia leucoptera ) in central europe . j . ornithol . 133 : 197 - 202 . ( in germ . )

i have quite a few crossbill pictures and there is a variance between those showing a white fringe and those not . i was quite lucky to catch a two barred male in 2013 and they are clearly bars , not fringes . light was awful but you can see the difference

two - barred crossbills and controversial crossbill , lynford , norfolk , march 2014 ( © sean nixon ) . the uppermost bird in this photo is the one which has caused all the debate . here , it doesn’t appear to be particularly larger than the other two - barred crossbills . the only question is why it has not chosen to remain with these birds , rather than return to the group of common crossbills with which it has probably been associating all winter .

lewis thomson had a bit of a shock when he sparked the discovery of the third - largest flock of two - barred crossbills ever recorded in britain on his forest of dean patch .

congeners – the lynford crossbill seems to associate most closely with a small group of common crossbills . partly , this may have been forced upon it – over the winter , there were no other two - barred crossbills on site . however , in recent weeks , the lynford bird has remained faithful to its small group , despite other two - barreds being present . indeed , on at least one occasion it has even been seen in the same tree as the other two - barreds , and i have seen it in a neighbouring larch . if it is a two - barred , why has it not decided to join other members of the same species ?

it would perhaps be too ambitious for me to state categorically that the lynford bird is a 1st winter two - barred crossbill , but it does show a number of features which appear to point strongly towards that species . all the apparently anomalous plumage features can be explained in terms of age and moult . certainly , it seems difficult to argue that it is just a wing - barred common . it could perhaps be a hybrid , which might explain the lack of diagnostic vocalisations or its choice of flock , but would this be any more likely than a silent two - barred ? there is also nothing specific about it which points to a hybrid origin rather than a relatively retarded 1st winter two - barred . unless it actually calls , we may never know for sure . in the meantime , together with the other 1st winter two - barred crossbills at lynford , it can potentially teach us a lot about the variation in post - juvenile moult and appearance of 1st year birds .

biometrics – two - barred crossbill is generally deemed to be a bit smaller than common crossbills and with a slightly smaller bill . van duivendijk ( 2010 ) states “generally more slender and less strongly curved mandibles than other crossbills , making bill look longer ( but variable as in all crossbills ) ” . some observers have suggested that the controversial bird is as big as a common and that the bill looks too heavy . to my eye , the bill of this bird did look slim or weak compared to a common bill . whilst i didn’t see it together with the other two - barred crossbills , photographs of all the birds together suggest that it is similar in size . however , looking at published biometrics , there is actually a very large amount of overlap both in size and bill size between two - barred and common , suggesting that these are not diagnostic . harrop et al . ( 2007 ) also states that “the bill of bifasciata [ the eurasian race of two - barred crossbill ] is heavy and often indistinguishable from that of common crossbill” . measurements from svensson are shown in the table below .

wing - barred common crossbill – these were historically considered to be a separate form , ‘rubrifasciata’ ( latin for red banded or barred ) . as the name suggests , these often have red or pink colour bleeding into the wing bar , which is not as well defined as in two - barred . the wingbar of the controversial bird appears consistently to be pure white . the width of the wingbar in ‘rubrifasciata’ is “closely similar” to juvenile two - barred , according to bwp . however , 1st year male common crossbill has “orange but rarely any pure red tones” to the body plumage “until the first complete moult” . so the reddish body plumage of the lynford bird would be at odds with a 1st winter common crossbill . as well as this , the pattern of the uppertail coverts and the apparently moulted inner greater covert would not be consistent with that species either . this seems like the least likely explanation for the identity of the lynford bird .

if you ' ve got collins birdguide 2nd edition take a look at page 387 . under the two - barred illustrations you will see it shows a common crossbill variant with similar white fringing to the wings on your bird . admittedly , the example shown is a female but perhaps it can also occur in males .

body plumage / colour – male two - barred crossbill is generally assumed to have pinkier - red body tones than the more brick - red of common . in the field , the lynford bird appeared to me to have some raspberry red tones , especially to crown and flanks . however , other observers have questioned that it is not pink enough and it is true that it looks rather red overall . again , this may not be the issue it first appears . bwp actually states “head and body of advanced 1st adult male orange - or rosy - red , less bright and less deep rosy than in adult male” . in addition , two - barred crossbill has scapulars and some mantle feathers with very dark bases , and this certainly seems to be the case with the lynford bird . bwp also states that male two - barred shows “dusky grey cast on mantle & round shoulder” and this is shows well in the attached photos of the bird in question . so the body plumage of the lynford bird is actually more consistent with a 1st winter male two - barred .

excited trumpet calls when two birds flew in and joined the feeding flock . ( 6 + birds altogether ) .

probably the most important thing to do with a bird such as this , is to establish its correct age . on close examination , the lynford crossbill shows an apparent moult contrast in the greater coverts and retained juvenile tertials , both discussed in more detail below . the colour of crossbill body plumage can vary with diet , more particularly lacking red colour if it is deficient in certain carotenoid pigments , but the majority of birds still show particular colours or combinations which are related to age and sex . for example , van duivendijk ( 2010 ) states about 1st winter two - barred crossbill “some 1w male completely orange , others nearly still complete juv at same time with mix of green - yellow and red - orange underparts and upperparts” and even for 1st summer “rest of plumage very variable , some males already entirely red” which implies that some are not yet totally red . the lynford crossbill shows a mixture of red - toned adult body plumage mixed with patches of yellow , particularly around the face and upper breast , as well as more strikingly in a band across the lower rump , which would seem to be most consistent with a 1st winter two - barred crossbill . interestingly , the other two 1st winter male two - barred crossbills currently at lynford also show a similar mix of red and yellow body feathering , to a greater or lesser extent . this all points to the controversial crossbill being a 1st winter . once correctly aged , it is then important to look at the individual features in more detail .

previously treated as conspecific with l . megaplaga , but differs in plumage details ; recent genetic analysis indicates that the two are better treated as separate species . furthermore , vocal and genetic differences have been employed to suggest that present species might be separated into two , eurasian and north american , species # r # r # r . two subspecies recognized .

i ' ll confess i ' ve never seen a two - barred although i remember trying ( unsuccessfully ) to see them in lynford arboretum , norfolk a few years ago when they turned up there . they are pretty rare in the uk .

controversial crossbill , lynford , norfolk , february 2014 ( © neil rendall ) . this photo shows all the features which suggest that this bird may in fact be a two - barred crossbill – the distinctive uppertail coverts , the moulted inner greater coverts with well defined white tips , the extensively dark - centred scapulars and upper mantle and some pinkish tones to the red body feathers . interestingly , the tertial tips appear more worn than in the picture taken by dave astins 3 months earlier , above .

same bird as on xc89063 , later being joined by more two - barreds and commons that came flying in from the baltic .

clement , p . ( 2018 ) . two - barred crossbill ( loxia leucoptera ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .

on first glance , it looks distinctly underwhelming . initially reported as a male two - barred crossbill , it has subsequently been put down variously as either a wing - barred common , 1st year two - barred or even a hybrid . unfortunately , it has been rather elusive through much of its stay , being reported at lynford only sporadically . given questions over its identity and the difficulty over seeing it , i had made no effort to find it myself over the winter . as better photos emerged , i became more and more intrigued . it appeared to be a very interesting bird and potentially rather educational , and i wondered whether it was being dismissed unfairly . however , despite trying several times to see it , i had failed consistently . on 23rd march , another group of three more obvious two - barred crossbills appeared at lynford , and this prompted me to try again . whilst we failed to see the obvious birds , those present on 25th were rewarded with prolonged and at times very close views of the controversial bird , as it fed in deciduous trees and came down to drink . i returned again on 27th , and this time saw the three clear - cut 1st winter two - barred crossbills ( 2 males & 1 female ) as well as the bird in question . following discussion with those around me , particularly james mccallum and dick filby , i was prompted to put pen to paper to try to dispel a few myths and narrow down the debate .

wingbars – the other feature which immediately seems at odds with two - barred is the greater covert wingbar , which is rather thin and does not appear to bulge significantly towards the innerwing . however , as with the tertial tips , all may not be as simple as it seems . two - barred crossbill has a very protracted breeding season and therefore very variable timing , and correspondingly also extent , of the post - juvenile moult . consequently , the appearance of 1st winter birds can vary substantially between individuals . bwp ( cramp et al , 1998 ) states “advanced birds similar to adult , but juvenile flight feathers , tail , usually all tertials and often at least outer greater upper - wing coverts retained . in more retarded birds , many juvenile wing coverts retained , as well as scattered juvenile feathering on body . ” this is evident on the other 1st winter two - barred crossbills currently at lynford – one male has seemingly replaced all its greater coverts , whereas the other appears to have retained a number of outer greater coverts , resulting in a clear moult contrast and a ‘step’ in the greater covert wingbar . bwp goes on to say “in 1st adults… when coverts and tertials all juvenile , white tips partly wear off” , suggesting that it is not impossible to find some 1st winter two - barred crossbills with completely retained juvenile greater coverts .

two - barred crossbill , cley , norfolk , july 2013 ( © julian bhalerao ) . this bird has a similarly poorly - marked greater covert wingbar , with a large number of very worn juvenile feathers . the pattern of some of these feathers is similar to the older greater coverts on the controversial lynford bird , with the small white tip bleeding up the outer edge . thankfully , this bird showed white tertial tips and was heard to call .

calls – the trumpet call of two - barred crossbill is generally deemed to be diagnostic . in addition , the flight call is slightly more clipped , even ‘clicky’ than common’s ‘glip’ , though the difference is subtle . as far as i am aware , the lynford bird has not been conclusively heard to call . however , at no point has the distinctive ‘toot’ been heard from the group it hangs out with . in addition , we didn’t hear two - barred flight calls from that group , despite listening hard . the other group of two - barred has generally been very vocal . even watching a lone juvenile in north norfolk last summer , it would regularly ‘toot’ , particularly on take - off or when coming in to land , despite no other members of the species being present . could the lynford bird just be a silent individual ? i have struggled to tell whether any single birds seen previously in the uk have been silent , but it is interesting that many observers report never having heard the trumpet call in this country prior to this most recent invasion .

details , including photos and sound recordings , of the western palearctic ' s first ' white - winged crossbill ' , found in south - west iceland .

i profess not to be an expert so you might want to wait for someone more knowledgeable than me but at the moment i would go for common crossbill .

) . this photo shows the uppertail coverts particularly well , with deep blackish centres and very contrasting and rather wide pale tips . it appears that this feature alone may exclude common crossbill

controversial crossbill , lynford , norfolk , march 2014 ( © sean nixon ) . in this photo , the inner two greater coverts on the left wing are more spread out , given the way the wing is held , particularly highlighting the moult contrast . the more extensive white tips to these feathers are clearly shown , contrasting with the much narrower white tips to the outer greater coverts . the retained yellow in the lower rump also stands out here .

please if someone can help me , i saw 7 common crossbills last week and this one in the photo was the only one that had white on the wings . . . . could it be a juvenile 2 - barred ? thank you

on close examination of the controversial bird , it would indeed appear that most of the greater coverts are actually retained juvenile feathers , with a very restricted white tip and slightly more white extending a short way up the outer web , consistent with the illustration in svensson ( 1992 ) . in addition , when seen well , it would appear that one or two of the innermost greater coverts have a much more extensive white tip , with a more squared off border to the dark base , consistent with adult - type feathers . this is visible in some photographs as a slight bulge in the greater covert wingbar where it meets the tertials , but can be difficult to see in the field , especially when viewing from below . this would appear to be entirely consistent with a 1st winter two - barred crossbill which has retained the majority of its juvenile greater coverts . a similar bird with substantially retained juvenile greater coverts was photographed in helsinki , finland in december 2008 and is shown below .

lynford arboretum , in the norfolk brecks , seems particularly attractive to two - barred crossbill . i remember seeing my first there , a female , way back in 1990 . admittedly , none were reported there from then until february 2012 , when a pair appeared briefly one morning . however , as the latest invasion started last summer , a group very quickly appeared at lynford , with up to 4 birds reported from 21st july until 29th . whether it was any of these same birds which remained in the area is unclear , but a juvenile was reported erratically through august and the first half of september , then up to 4 birds again through the second half of the month and october . at some point during this period , a rather controversial bird turned up at the site . certainly seen from november 2013 , it has remained throughout the winter .

controversial crossbill , lynford , norfolk , march 2014 ( © keith bilverstone ) . the first impression of this bird is always rather underwhelming , given a rather narrow greater covert wingbar and no white tertial tips . however , there are clues here to its age and state of moult and on closer examination there are some much more encouraging signs .

controversial crossbill , lynford , norfolk , march 2014 ( © jake gearty ) . raspberry - red tones are visible in the crown / face , mantle and flanks . the blackish - centred feathers to the scapulars , upper mantle and across the shoulders also stand out . the tertials are clearly worn , retained juvenile feathers and the squared - off white tips to the new inner greater coverts are very different pattern of the older outer feathers

thank you tony , thank you robbo , crossbills are difficult as of the 7 i saw , there were no 2 alike . . . . . . . all different colours . . . . . this one was the only one with white fringing . another reason why i questioned it is because 2 - barred had been seen in the same area . i shall go back over the weekend to see if i see one . many thanks again .

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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .

aerc tac . 2003 . aerc tac checklist of bird taxa occurring in western palearctic region , 15th draft . available at : urltoken _ the _ wp15 . xls # .

justification : this species has an extremely large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km 2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing , the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size is extremely large , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .

the european population is estimated at 1 , 500 , 000 - 4 , 260 , 000 pairs , which equates to 3 , 000 , 000 - 8 , 510 , 000 mature individuals ( birdlife international 2015 ) . europe forms approximately 10 % of the global range , so a very preliminary estimate of the global population size is 30 , 000 , 000 - 85 , 100 , 000 mature individuals , although further validation of this estimate is needed . trend justification : this species has undergone a large and statistically significant decrease over the last 40 years in north america ( - 67 . 8 % decline over 40 years , equating to a - 24 . 7 % decline per decade ; data from breeding bird survey and / or christmas bird count : butcher and niven 2007 ) . the european population size is estimated to be fluctuating ( birdlife international 2015 ) .

this species occupies dense conifer forests and plantations , mainly larch and larch - pine ( larix - pinus ) forests . it is found predominantly with siberian pine ( pinus sibirica ) in central siberia and also uses fir ( abies ) and spruce ( picea ) , and occasionally resorts to deciduous trees in absence of preferred conifers . in eastern russia it is mostly found in larches and mainly in spruce and in north - west russia and scandinavia mostly in spruce ( clement 2016 ) . the breeding season is from february to mid - may in years of a good seed crop of pine and spruce , but in poor crop years it is delayed to from june to august ( snow and perrins 1998 ) . it breeds from january to august in north america with timing largely determined by availability of seed crop ( clement 2016 ) . the nest is constructed mostly of conifer twigs , plant stalks , grass stems , lichens , moss , plant fibres and down , animal hair or fur and feathers . it is set 2–20 m above ground against the trunk of a conifer , typically spruce . on occasion it is placed at the end of a branch . clutches are three to four eggs . the diet consists mainly of conifer seeds , buds , berries and shoots , chiefly of larch and spruce but it also takes a range of invertebrates and larvae ( clement 2016 ) . the species is resident and dispersive but also irruptive in years of poor seed crops ( snow and perrins 1998 ) .

conservation actions underway bern convention appendix ii . conservation actions proposed no conservation measures are currently needed for this species within its european range .

( amended version of 2016 assessment ) . the iucn red list of threatened species 2017 : e . t22728944a111144194 .

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second male featured in xc192150 singing from the top of a tree . habitat : mature coniferous forest .

first male featured in xc192150 singing from the top of a tree . habitat : mature coniferous forest .

one adult male calling from different perches with a female nearby . habitat : mature coniferous forest .

one adult male calling with a female nearby . habitat : mature coniferous forest .

during a spell of unusually warm weather ( 8 to 9° c in january . ) these birds were foraging on white spruce , especially in sunny spots .

one juvenile calling from the top of a black spruce tree in the first part , then flying ( 1 : 15 ) and perching much closer in a young white birch tree .

female - type bird , giving excitement calls non - stop ( with a few flight calls at the very end of the recording ) . it seemed to interact vocally with the trumpet - calling bullfinch that can be heard in the background . note that towards the end , there are a few calls that are clearly higher - pitched than most of the calls .

sonogram images © xeno - canto foundation . sonogram images share the same license terms as the recording they depict .

hbw alive contains information on descriptive notes , voice , habitat , food and feeding , breeding , movements , status and conservation plus a list of bibliographical references for this species account .

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a front view of a female extracting seed from a berry then eating it .

éric roualet , mkennewell , robert schaefer , erkki lehtovirta , bruce steger , daniêl jimenez , ken simonite , malcolmmarkswan .

marvinhyett , éric roualet , lars petersson , tom dudones , david cooper , hal and kirsten snyder , morten venas , guy poisson , brian kuebel , manakin , will hayward , ken havard , guenther karmann , erkki lehtovirta , laurent demongin , ahvenainen , ken simonite , pascal christe , ivan sjögren .

– n fennoscandia , nw & n russia ( kola peninsula e in broad band through siberia to sea of okhotsk , s to c urals , l baikal area , yablonovy mts and w amurland ) , probably also extreme ne china ( n heilongjiang ) ; winters also s to ne europe ( irregular ) , ne china ( liaoning and hebei ) and s siberia .

– alaska and c & s canada e to c & e quebec , newfoundland and nova scotia , s in usa to n washington , n wisconsin and s maine ; also c oregon and rocky mts s to w wyoming , n utah and even s colorado and n new mexico ; in winter also s to s minnesota , n ohio , pennsylvania and massachusetts , occasionally further south .

14·5–17 cm ; 25–40 g . medium - large , short - legged and fork - tailed finch with broad white wingbars and distinctive crossed mandibles . male nominate race has . . .

song , usually from treetop or in display - flight , in north america a long , rapid series of rich and . . .

season feb to mid - may or jun–aug in europe and russia , jan–aug in north america , timing largely determined by availability of . . .

resident , migratory and irruptively nomadic . occasionally present throughout entire winter n to . . .

not globally threatened . common to locally abundant . estimated european breeding population between 1000 and 10 , 000 pairs , and up to a further 100 , 000 pairs in russia . in se . . .

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forms three well - defined subfamilies # r , including euphoniinae , previously placed in thraupidae . also includes drepanidini , sometimes treated as a separate family ( as in hbw ) , but here considered merely a tribe of carduelinae . extensive phylogenetic data available , and comparatively few species remain wholly unscreened ; nonetheless , study of internal relationships has been confounded by recurring plumage patterns and use of similar feeding niches by taxa that prove to be far from closely related .

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this map displays aggregated data from ibc and my birding ( anonymously ) ; markers do not indicate precise localities .

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my understanding is that the bars are much more prominent than the white shown on the bird in your photo . i think it ' s way too early for any juveniles to be about .

paul , i was told by birding experts on a recent trip to mallorca where we saw crossbills that the males get redder as they mature . they were high up in the canopy so didn ' t really get a view of their wing plumage . my photo isn ' t as good as yours but there was no evidence of white fringing on the wings as far as i could see .

the opinion was that this was a young ( ish ) male so i guess there ' s a good deal of colour variation . good luck in seeking them out a again . you never know your luck .

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i would like to thank james mccallum and dick filby in particular , for the interesting discussion about this bird before , during and after we saw it , and for their help in the preparation of this article . i would also like to thank all those photographers who very kindly allowed me to use their images .

cramp , s . , ( ed . ) , 1998 . handbook of the birds of europe , the middle east and north africa .

svensson , l . , 1992 . identification guide to european passerines , 4th edition .

jon dunn brings you a comprehensive roundup of the week ' s best birds from around britain , ireland and the western palearctic , including pacific golden plover and squacco heron . more here >

hen harrier has bred on the national trust ' s high peak moors , in the peak district national park , for the first time in four years . more here >

research has found that young turtle doves raised on a diet of seeds foraged from arable plants rather than food provided in people ' s gardens are more likely to survive after fledging . more here >

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the spotted lanternfly or lycorma delicatula ( order hemiptera , family fulgoridae ) is a planthopper native to china , india , and vietnam .

although it has two pairs of wings , it jumps more than it flies .

its host plants are grapes , pines , stone fruits , and malus spp .

in its native habitat it is kept in check by natural predators or pathogens .

it was accidentally introduced in korea in 2006 and is since considered a pest .

in september 2014 , it was first spotted in the u.s. .

spotted lanternfly

spotted lanternfly <EOT> spotted lanternfly nymphs collected on tree band . tree banding is both an effective detection method and control strategy for spotted lanternfly

for more information you can search spotted lanternfly pda for the pennsylvania department of agriculture , or spotted lanternfly psu for penn state university .

the quarantine of the dangerously invasive spotted lanternfly has again expanded into bucks county .

quarantine extended for invasive spotted lanternfly in s . e . pa . - philly

pennsylvania department of agriculture ( 2015 ) . spotted lanternfly . accessed june 2015 at

spotted lanternfly fourth ( final ) instar nymph ( immature ) . credit : itchydogimages

the spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that was first found in pennsylvania in 2014 .

lateral view of an adult spotted lanternfly . photo by lawrence barringer , pennsylvania department of agriculture

the spotted lanternfly is a new invasive insect that was first found in pennsylvania in 2014 .

the spotted lanternfly does not bite people , which is something that people often ask about .

spotted lanternfly is regarded as a poisonous insect in chinese medicine and used for relief from swelling .

right now , the fight against the invasive spotted lanternfly involves trying to keep them from reproducing .

find more information , including a one - minute video about the spotted lanternfly , visit urltoken .

spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect in pennsylvania that has the potential to threaten several important agricultural commodities .

if spotted lanternfly did become established in minnesota , it could impact grape , apple and nursery production .

parasitic wasp , anastatus orientalis is reported to parasitize up to 69 percent of spotted lanternfly eggs in china . this egg parasitoid is considered a potential biocontrol agent for release against the spotted lanternfly in south korea .

the pennsylvania department of agriculture issued a quarantine to restrict the movement of the spotted lanternfly on november 1 , 2014 . a small area of pennsylvania is regulated to prevent spotted lanternfly from spreading to new areas .

there are some native insects that could be confused with a spotted lanternfly , especially tiger moths and underwing moths which also can have red hind wings . however , moths are much better fliers compared to a spotted lanternfly . moths also do not jump while a spotted lanternfly ( and other planthoppers ) are good jumpers .

adult spotted lanternfly with wings spread showing colorful hind wing . photo by holly raguza , pennsylvania department of agriculture

. this will increase the likelihood of early detection and control of the spotted lanternfly if it arrives here .

for more information on damage , life cycles and descriptions , and where to look , see the spotted lanternfly pest alert . also , from the pennsylvania department of agriculture : guidelines for the control of spotted lanternfly .

the spotted lanternfly has no known effects on human health , according to horticulture experts at penn state extension .

spotted lanternfly egg mass on tree - of - heaven . photo by holly raguza , bugwood . org .

if you live outside of the current ( quarantine area ) in pennsylvania and find a spotted lanternfly , report it ! use this interactive plant pest quarantine search to see if you ' re in the spotted lanternfly quarantine area .

spotted lanternfly covered egg mass ( bottom ) , adult ( center ) , uncovered egg mass ( top ) .

the spotted lanternfly is a threat to many fruit crops and trees . learn to spot it and report it .

contact the minnesota department of agriculture via arrest the pest if you suspect an infestation of spotted lanternfly in minnesota .

more information about the biology of the spotted lanternfly , most current distribution , volunteer opportunities , quarantine regulations and compliance .

build - up of honeydew secretions at the base of a tree , a sign of a heavy spotted lanternfly infestation .

penn state college of agricultural sciences ( 2015 ) . host plants used by the spotted lanternfly . accessed july 2015 at

photo 1 : spotted lanternfly . note spots on most of the wing and the lacey pattern on the wing tips .

spotted lanternfly younger nymphs without red coloration . photo by lawrence barringer , pennsylvania department of agriculture , bugwood . org .

spotted lanternfly older nymph with red coloration . photo by lawrence barringer , pennsylvania department of agriculture , bugwood . org .

limit the spread of spotted lanternfly : you can take steps personally to limit the chance you may spread spotted lanternfly . you can use the “spotted lanternfly quarantine checklist” to make sure items on and around your home are pest free before moving them . you can also check your vehicle for hitch hiking lanternflies if you plan on leaving the quarantine area . taking steps to not park or leave items under tree lines will also reduce the risk of spotted lanternfly becoming an unwelcome hitch hiker .

spotted lanternfly egg masses can be hard to spot making it easy to unknowingly transport them on vehicles and other outdoor items .

an adult spotted lanternfly , with wings spread , showing its colorful hind wing . photo by holly raguza , pennsylvania department of agriculture

the spotted lanternfly is just the most recent invasive bug species from overseas to show up in pennsylvania by way of international commerce .

south korea is approximately similar in size to pennsylvania and we know that the spotted lanternfly has been here longer than three years .

the spotted lanternfly was first discovered in berks county in 2014 . the fight against them involves trying to keep them from reproducing .

adult spotted lanternfly on tree - of - heaven . photo by lawrence barringer , pennsylvania department of agriculture , bugwood . org .

download a spotted lanternfly kit » the kit contains useful information regarding identification , handling yard waste , a time of year management chart and what to do if you find spotted lanternflies on your property .

this map is from the pennsylvania department of agriculture and so far the spotted lanternfly has been found in the southeastern part of pennsylvania .

an adult spotted lanternfly is seen , its wings spread to show a colorful hind wing . the invasive pest has sparked a quarantine in pennsylvania .

darvin levengood walks the grounds of his berks county winery . the spotted lanternfly arrived in berks in 2014 and has spread to five other counties .

this is a picture of a stand of younger ailanthus trees , tree of heaven , that sustained heavy populations of spotted lanternfly for two years .

any living stage of the spotted lanternfly , lyc o r m a delica tu la . this includes egg masses , nymphs , and adults .

if spotted lanternfly is discovered in minnesota , actions may be taken to prevent its spread to new areas and to eradicate or control any infestations .

in the late summer and fall , the spotted lanternfly prefers feeding on ailanthus altissima , commonly known as the " tree of heaven . " they can be found feeding on other plants and trees , but if you have ailanthus altissima , you should start searching for spotted lanternfly on those trees .

the spotted lanternfly ( slf ) , lycorma delicatula , ( hemiptera : fulgoridae ) was unintentionally introduced into korea in 2006 where it is a pest .

a gypsy moth egg mass ( right ) next to an egg mass of the spotted lanternfly ( left ) on a willow , salix sp . trunk

the spotted lanternfly quarantine has expanded into nine additional municipalities in southeastern pennsylvania , including some in bucks county , the pennsylvania department of agriculture announced recently .

redding is talking about the spotted lanternfly , just the most recent invasive bug species from overseas to show up in pennsylvania by way of international commerce .

as a nymph , the spotted lanternfly feeds on a wide range of plants and trees . over 65 potential host species have been recorded , including :

barringer , l . 2014 . pest alert : spotted lanternfly , lycorma delicatula ( white ) ( hemiptera : fulgoridae ) . pennsylvania department of agriculture .

it is important for landowners in the affected area to avoid spreading the spotted lanternfly . one good practice is to avoid parking your vehicle under trees because spotted lanternflies that are living in trees will lay eggs on the cars underneath .

after being detected most recently in northampton and lehigh counties , the spotted lanternfly has now been discovered in berks , montgomery , bucks , and chester counties .

profile of spotted lanternfly adult at rest . note the wings are held tent - like over the back of the insect . credit : pennsylvania department of agriculture

the spotted lanternfly is not known to occur in minnesota . it was detected in pennsylvania in september 2014 which is the only known occurrence in north america .

residents in and around the quarantine areas are encouraged to inspect their properties for spotted lanternfly . additional townships may be added to the quarantine , but with the identification of each infestation , we come one step closer to controlling spotted lanternfly and the damage it might cause our economy and our environment , agriculture officials said .

previous experience with other invasive insect species — including the brown marmorated stink bug and gypsy moths — is helpful to state agriculture officials dealing with the spotted lanternfly .

where spotted lanternfly has been detected in pennsylvania , several control options are available . these methods are used in combination on a site - by - site basis .

since its detection in 2014 in pennsylvania , research on spotted lanternfly has been rapidly expanding . currently , researchers from government and academia are investigating topics such as :

i ' m going to talk about the invasive insect , the spotted lanternfly , how to identify it , and why we ' re so concerned about it .

we ' ve found spotted lanternfly on herbaceous plants including day lilies , basil , cucumbers , but primarily we think of them as a pest on woody plants .

efforts to put a crimp in the growing risk of the spotted lanternfly to pennsylvania ' s fruit and hardwood industry have gotten a boost from the federal government .

spotted lanternfly first instar nymph ( immature ) . note that the nymph is black with white spots . this coloration persists through the third instar . credit : itchydogimages

spotted lanternfly was first discovered in berks county , pennsylvania in september of 2014 . it has since spread to 13 counties in pennsylvania and is under a quarantine in that state . it was also found in both delaware and new york in late 2017 . as of january 2018 , spotted lanternfly has not been found in massachusetts .

spotted lanternfly is native to china and found in southeast asia . it was first reported in south korea in 2006 and rapidly spread to different parts of the country .

pennsylvania department of agriculture spotted lanternfly information , including a copy of the slf order of quarantine , a powerpoint on lycorma inspection tips , and the slf pest alert .

the pennsylvania department of agriculture has extended the area placed under quarantine for an invasion of spotted lanternfly to include nine additional municipalities in the southeastern part of the state .

when you see the spotted lanternfly in the media , you often see this image at the upper left with the wings displayed and you can see the red underwings .

spotted lanternfly was discovered in berks county in september of 2014 and we estimate that it arrived in pennsylvania during 2012 based on the condition of old weathered egg masses .

there really weren ' t very many spotted lanternfly in this orchard until september and then when the adults took to flight they flew into the orchard in large numbers .

if you find an insect that you suspect is the spotted lanternfly , please contact your local extension office or state plant regulatory official to have the specimen identified properly .

people are asking about the longterm health of trees that are fed upon my lanternfly .

according to dara’s information compilation , the spotted lanternfly is actually not a fly , but a planthopper referred to as “spot clothing wax cicada” or “chinese blistering cicada” in literature .

the spotted lanternfly is native to southern asia , including china , india , japan , and vietnam . recently , it has become a problematic invasive pest in south korea .

so this orchard , producer , could use an insecticide that was labeled for his fruit crops and the spotted lanternfly have not been particularly difficult to kill with traditional insecticides .

this tree was red from a distance of about 50 feet i could just see that the whole stem of this tree was red from the high numbers of spotted lanternfly .

the spotted lanternfly is native to china , india , japan , and vietnam and has been detected for the first time in the united states in eastern berks county , pennsylvania .

the spotted lanternfly is not known to do any structural damage , it won ' t get into the wall space of your home and try to over - winter as adults .

management neonicotinoids , pyrethrins , and organophosphates are among the chemical insecticides effective against spotted lanternfly . adults and 2 nd - 4 th instar nymphs appear to be attracted to spearmint oil which could be used in their control . using sticky traps at the base of the tree trunks also appears to be a good management strategy . parasitic wasp , anastatus orientalis is reported to parasitize up to 69 % of spotted lanternfly eggs in china . this egg parasitoid is considered a potential biocontrol agent for release against the spotted lanternfly in south korea .

anyone finding the spotted lanternfly on their property is encouraged to contact the pennsylvania department of agriculture at : badbug @ pa . gov , 1 - 866 - 253 - 7189 .

greig , g . 2014 . notices : order of quarantine ; spotted lanternfly . 44 pa . b . 6947 . pages 6947 . the pennsylvania bulletin , harrisburg , pa .

aphis administrator kevin shea points to the sticky bands being placed around the trunks of host trees , such as tree of heaven , to identify the range of spotted lanternfly nymphs .

the spotted lanternfly is not known to bite humans . you can kill spotted lanternflies mechanically , by swatting or crushing them . however , when you threaten them , they are able to quickly jump far away from you , so mechanical control is not easy to achieve .

“you can help stop its spread . keep a watchful eye out for signs of the spotted lanternfly : the nymphs in the spring , and right now the brown / grey mud like egg masses and bright black and white and red spotted adults , ” nichols said .

adults are weak flyers , but good hoppers . the head is black with piercing and sucking mouthparts . life cycle is typically one generation per year . spotted lanternfly overwinters as eggs .

most natural enemies of the spotted lanternfly are not effective enough for controlling them , according to dr . dara , nor are generalist predators . parasitic controls are few , although a few that are native to asia may work there . a parasitic wasp called anastatus orientalis may have potential because it is reported to parasitize up to 69 percent of spotted lanternfly eggs in china .

to control spotted lanternflies , applying a system of insecticide will help to kill off adults .

spotted lanternfly was first found in berks county , pennsylvania in 2014 and is a major threat to our agriculture industry . this video , updated in march 2018 , discusses how to identify this invasive pest and describes its lifecycle and behavior . you will also learn about current conditions and quarantine areas , the research being conducted , and where you can learn more about spotted lanternfly .

origin and distribution spotted lanternfly is native to china and is present in southeast asia . it was first reported in south korea in 2006 and rapidly spread to different parts of the country .

pesticides are currently the most effective way of killing the spotted lanternfly , but it’s important that you contact a professional or follow the instructions on the pdofag’s website to report the infestation appropriately .

“if the spotted lanternfly continues to spread it will attack more grapes , apples , pines , and stone fruits and could become a major pest to the united states , ” nichols said .

a spotted lanternfly , seen on a leaf . they feed on the leaf , then leave behind a waste product that leads to the development of what ' s called a sooty mold .

the spotted lanternfly , which attacks tree trunks and other woody parts of plants , is a weak flyer but a strong and quick jumper . credit : lawrence barringer , pa . department of agriculture

an adult spotted lanternfly is seen , its wings spread to show a colorful hind wing . the invasive pest has sparked a quarantine in pennsylvania . holly raguza / pennsylvania department of agriculture hide caption

as an adult , the spotted lanternfly mainly feeds on the ailanthus ( tree of heaven ) , although has also been observed on a few other species , including salix ( weeping willow ) .

a spotted lanternfly , seen on a leaf . they feed on the leaf , then leave behind a waste product that leads to the development of what ' s called a sooty mold . (

pinned spotted lanternfly adult with wings open . note the bright red coloration now visible on the hindwings . this cannot be seen when the insect is at rest . credit : pennsylvania department of agriculture

the spotted lanternfly attacks many important agricultural trees and plants , including the grapevine . if this invasive species were to establish in ontario , it would threaten the $ 3 . 3 billion wine industry .

the spotted lanternfly feeds on various host plants throughout its development . nymphs feed on a wide range of plant species , while adults prefer to feed and lay eggs on tree - of - heaven (

an ongoing de - limiting survey being conducted at the local and state level to rid areas of the spotted lanternfly has led to the quarantine of several municipalities — including in northampton and lehigh counties .

additionally , it is good if residents of surrounding areas are aware of the spotted lanternfly , know how to identify it in all its life stages and are watching out for it , swackhamer said .

in the late summer and fall , the spotted lanternfly prefers feeding on ailanthus altissima , commonly known as the “tree of heaven . ” they can be found feeding on other plants and trees , but if you have ailanthus altissima , you should start searching for spotted lanternfly on those trees . for information on how to identify ailanthus altissima and how to control it , see this fact sheet : urltoken .

the spotted lanternfly doesn ' t make any kind of a cocoon or pupi , goes directly from that fourth instar stage , the skin of that life stage will crack open and the adult crawls out .

the invasive spotted lanternfly has been found in southeastern counties in pennsylvania . we are trying to eradicate this potential pest . there is a quarantine order in place that prohibits movement of any living life stage of this insect to areas outside of the quarantine area . to find information about identifying the spotted lanternfly , current information about where it is known to exist , quarantine order , and compliance go to : urltoken

the spotted lanternfly ( lycorma delicatula ) is native to china and was first detected in pennsylvania in september 2014 . spotted lanternfly feeds on a wide range of fruit , ornamental and woody trees , with tree - of - heaven being one of the preferred hosts . spotted lanternflies are invasive and can be spread long distances by people who move infested material or items containing egg masses . if allowed to spread in the united states , this pest could seriously impact the country’s grape , orchard , and logging industries .

an exotic pest known as the spotted lanternfly , lycorma delicatula ( white ) was recently detected in berks county , pa . spotted lanternfly , which is actually not a fly , but a planthopper is also referred to as “spot clothing wax cicada” or “chinese blistering cicada” in the literature . it belongs to the family fulgoridae in the order hemiptera . fulgorids or members of the family fulgoridae are moderate to large planthoppers generally referred to as lanternflies because of the inflated front portion of the head that was thought to be luminous . spotted lanternfly is regarded as a poisonous insect in chinese medicine and used for relief from swelling .

the infestation in berks county most likely originated from one of several asian countries , including china , india , japan , south korea and vietnam , where the spotted lanternfly is endemic . despite its distinctive red and black - spotted wings , the lanternfly can only walk , jump or fly short distances . its long - distance spread is made possible by people who unknowingly move infested material or vehicles containing egg masses .

invasive bug prompts quarantine in pennsylvania townships : the two - way the spotted lanternfly has officially arrived in the u . s . , and leaders in pennsylvania are hoping it won ' t be staying long .

osama el - lissy , aphis’ deputy administrator for plant protection and quarantine , looks for spotted lanternfly nymphs emerging from host tree material in research barrels to show aphis administrator kevin shea and associate administrator mike gregoire .

surveys are currently underway to determine the complete spread of this pest in berks county and the surrounding counties . efforts are also underway to ensure the spotted lanternfly is not present in other parts of the commonwealth .

for the lanternfly , current research is focused on the insect’s anatomy in the hopes that a weakness in the pest can be found and manipulated . scientists are working with various pesticides , predators , and parasitoids , spichiger said , including a parasitic wasp that “might infest a spotted lanternfly and cause it not to reproduce . ”

neonicotinoids , pyrethrins , and organophosphates are among the chemical insecticides effective against spotted lanternfly . adults and 2 nd - 4 th instar nymphs appear to be attracted to spearmint oil which could be used in their control .

occurrence data : we have used the csv file of the distribution of spotted lanternfly from the literatures ( in china , korea and japan ) . this file contains the occurrence points of the species in the naive region

horticultural experts across pennsylvania say the spotted lanternfly is of particular concern here because they feast on grapevines , apple trees , stone fruit trees , and pine trees , all of which are big business in the keystone state .

for now , the spotted lanternfly remains confined to a small area of pennsylvania , but according to dr . dara , all appropriate interests should stand by , keep watch , and - - especially - - be ready .

because the pest is so new , experts are working on quarantining and eradicating new infestations in order to keep it under control . currently , the spotted lanternfly is detected in several counties , including our own lehigh county .

darvin levengood walks the grounds of his winery , keeping an eye out for the spotted lanternfly , but does not see any , in amityville , berks county , pa . , wednesday , aug . 9 , 2017 . the nets on the trees are to keep birds away from the grapes ; they would not prevent a lanternfly infestation .

u . s . department of agriculture – animal and plant health inspection service ( 2015 ) . spotted lanternfly eradication program in berks , lehigh , and montgomery counties , pennsylvania – environmental assessment may 2015 . accessed july 2015 at

the spotted lanternfly was first discovered in berks county in 2014 . it is an economic threat because it can destroy vineyards , fruit trees and forest products and associated businesses . sven spichiger , of the pennsylvania department of agriculture , said three vineyards in the quarantine area were negatively impacted this year . “right now the spotted lanternfly is laying eggs and they lay them anywhere and hides them , ” he said . each egg mass contains 30 to 50 eggs .

likewise , if you collect an adult or nymph , place the specimen in 70 percent rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer in a leak - proof container . never take a live specimen of the spotted lanternfly from the area under quarantine .

“social media is a powerful tool for helping visually identify this pest , ” explained redding . “we encourage citizens to watch and share our spotted lanternfly video . anyone can join us to help protect pennsylvania from this bad bug . ”

when disturbed , the lanternfly will hop or fly away , revealing bright red and white hindwings . ( figure 2 )

an average lanternfly life cycle lasts about a year , during which time they can lay between 30 and 50 eggs .

the spotted lanternfly is an inch - long black , red and white spotted insect native to southeast asia . it is an invasive species in korea , where it has attacked 25 plant species that also grow in pennsylvania . the pest had not been found in the united states prior to its initial detection in berks county in the fall of 2014 .

everyone is encouraged to report the spotted lanternfly if they find it outside the quarantine area , learn about the pest’s lifecycle , try to kill it in all stages and don’t move material that could be harboring any stage of the pest .

setliff encouraged everyone to report the spotted lanternfly if they find it outside the quarantine area , learn about the pest’s lifecycle , try to kill it in all stages and don’t move material that could be harboring any stage of the pest .

people seeing the spotted lanternfly for the first time are struck by its sometimes - flashy appearance . but don ' t let its colorful , butterfly - like veneer fool you , caution entomologists in penn state ' s college of agricultural sciences .

the spotted lanternfly threatens many species of orchard trees . in addition to threatening the industry , there are potential social impacts including impacts on summer activities such as apple picking , enjoying fresh produce from farmer’s markets , or wine tasting at local vineyards

native to northern china , the spotted lanternfly has spread to korea and japan , where it has caused considerable damage . last year authorities in berks county , pennsylvania quarantined five townships and issued an alert document to help people identify the pest .

the estimated number of spotted lanternfly killed by egg mass scraping based off of reported efforts . this number comes from the “reporting scraped egg masses instructions” page . this number will be periodically updated to reflect the efforts of pda and the community .

the invasive pest – spotted lanternfly , lycorma delicatula - has been found for the first time in the u . s . ( pennsylvania ) , and western - state growers should be aware of the insect and its host range which includes grapes and stone fruit . sugar content from lanternfly excretion can harbor mold growth which can result in stunted plant growth or even death .

the spotted lanternfly , which recently was discovered for the first time in the united states in berks county , poses a threat to many economically important species of trees and woody ornamentals in pennsylvania . credit : holly raguza , pa . department of agriculture

host plants and impact - the primary hosts of spotted lanternfly are tree of heaven and grapes . however , in korea , it has been recorded attacking 65 different species ; many of these same genera occur in minnesota including apple , grape , willow , oak , walnut , silver maple , common lilac , poplar , eastern white pine , and rose . tree of heaven is not widely present in minnesota , and it is possible that spotted lanternfly would not thrive in minnesota without this important host .

the first north american detection occurred in october 2014 in pennsylvania , u . s . a . as of march 2017 , quarantined areas exist within counties in pennsylvania ( see map ) . in november 2017 , the spotted lanternfly is confirmed in delaware .

we investigated the potential distribution of spotted lanternfly in the us using maxent model . our study found the potential risky places in the us are the midwest and mid - atlantic regions based on the climatic factors that are favourable for the species to thrive .

in pennsylvania , the spotted lanternfly overwinters in egg masses laid on smooth bark , stone , and other vertical surfaces . the first of four immature stages , or instars , began emerging from the egg masses in mid - may , with a few individuals that had molted to second instar nymphs by the end of may . the first instar nymph is black with white spots and wingless . as it grows , the spotted lanternfly develops red patches in addition to the white spots . nymphs spread from the initial site by crawling or jumping up any woody or non - woody plant it comes across to feed . in korea , the spotted lanternfly is known to gradually prefer tree - of - heaven / paradise tree ( ailanthus altissima ) as it nears the adult stage .

kelly murman , a graduate student in biology at east stroudsburg university , volunteers with a collaborative effort by the u . s . and state departments of agriculture to study plants that the spotted lanternfly feeds on , according to a story last month on urltoken .

the spotted lanternfly begins laying eggs in masses of 30 to 50 eggs , covered in a brown , mud - like substance , in late september or early october . egg masses may be found on adult host trees , especially tree of heaven ( ailanthus alitissima ) , moderately - sized stones and other smooth surfaced outdoor items , such as lawn furniture , stone and brick work , and outdoor recreational vehicles . the egg mass poses , perhaps , the greatest risk for accidental transport of the spotted lanternfly to new areas .

the spotted lanternfly is known to attack about 65 different plant hosts in korea , especially tree of heaven and grapes . it is also known to attack plants in the same genera as apple , willow , oak , lilac , rose , maple , poplar , and pine . spotted lanternflies ( like other planthoppers ) damages plants by using its needle - like mouthparts to feed on plant sap .

" berks county is the front line in the war against spotted lanternfly , " agriculture secretary george greig said in a news release . " we are taking every measure possible to learn more , educate the public and ourselves and eliminate this threat to agriculture . "

in boyertown , steven frecon , the owner and orchard manager of frecons farm , was not in the quarantine area until this year . his farm grows apples , peaches , cherries , and berries . he saw his first spotted lanternfly this spring in nymph form .

adults and nymphs feed on sap that they suck from leaves and stems of host plants . this causes sap to excrete from wounds ( ' weeping ' wounds ) , which appear grey or black and can occur along the stems , branches or trunk of the tree . weeping wounds are also caused by debris ( frass ) and honeydew buildup from the spotted lanternfly . this can attract other insects to feed on the tree . the spotted lanternfly was first discovered in pennsylvania because of bees that had been attracted to the honeydew .

one of a group of insects sometimes referred to as planthoppers , the lanternfly is a weak flyer but a strong and quick jumper .

and in this picture you can see a yellow jacket that is collecting honeydew right out of the back end of the adult lanternfly .

“this is our third season of combating the spotted lanternfly , and despite extensive work that has helped slow the spread of this potentially devastating invasive pest , the addition of these new municipalities illustrates just how challenging a task that is , ” said agriculture secretary russell redding .

“in south korea , where spotted lanternfly was introduced more than 10 years ago , they damaged vineyards and the quality of grapes and stone fruit , for example , peaches , ” said emelie swackhamer , a horticulture extension educator at the penn state extension in montgomery county .

the spotted lanternfly threatens vineyards and fruit orchards , which can result in significant social impacts if the insect becomes established . for example , popular summer activities could be impacted , such as apple picking , enjoying fresh produce from farmer’s markets , or wine tasting at local vineyards .

on september 22 , 2014 , the pennsylvania department of agriculture , in cooperation with the pennsylvania game commission , confirmed the presence the spotted lanternfly ( lycorma delicatula ) , in berks county , pennsylvania , the first detection of this non - native species in the united states .

the spotted lanternfly , or lycorma delicatula , is native to parts of china and eastern asia . it attacks trees by feeding on sap and harms them further by excreting large amounts of a fluid that coats leaves and stems and encourages the growth of mold , according to researchers .

“spotted lanternfly has proven to be a tremendously destructive pest that spreads rapidly and can be devastating to our valuable grapes , hardwoods and hops , ” said agriculture secretary russell redding in a statement . he urged anyone seeing the insects to report sightings to badbug @ pa . gov .

provide the file containing the presence locations . to do this , use the “browse” button in the “samples” section of the maxent screen and locate the spotted lanternfly location _ rarely _ occur [ slf _ spatial _ occ . csv ] generated from the data preparation – > step 3

freshly laid egg masses have a grey waxy mud - like coating , while hatched eggs appear as brownish seed - like deposits in four to seven columns about an inch long . trees attacked by the spotted lanternfly will show a grey or black trail of sap down the trunk .

1 . locate ailianthus altissima trees on the site . for reasons not understood , spotted lanternfly seem to prefer some individual ailanthus altissima trees over others . try to identify the specific ailanthus trees that are most attractive to the insects , based on how many are feeding on them .

the spotted lanternfly is a plant hopper native to china , india and vietnam . it has also been introduced in south korea and japan . in the u . s . , the spotted lanternfly has the potential to greatly impact the grape , tree fruit , plant nursery and timber industries . in pennsylvania , this pest poses a significant threat to the state’s more than $ 20 . 5 million grape , $ 134 million apple , and more than $ 24 million stone fruit industries , as well as the hardwood industry which accounts for $ 12 billion in sales .

although grape vine does not have toxic metabolites like other hosts , spotted lanternfly showed a strong preference in studies conducted in south korea . the sugar content of the host plant also appears to play a role in their choice with a preference for hosts containing high sucrose and fructose content .

saunders has submitted a proposal for research funding under the federal farm bill to conduct efficacy tests for spotted lanternfly chemical control . he noted that synthetic pyrethroid insecticides appear to show promise . hoover also is seeking farm bill funding to develop extension educational materials for growers , arborists and the public .

" this is our third season of combatting the spotted lanternfly , and despite extensive work that has helped slow the spread of this potentially devastating invasive pest , the addition of these new municipalities illustrates just how challenging a task that is , " agriculture secretary russell redding said in a statement .

spotted lanternfly nymphs and adults cause damage when they feed , sucking sap from stems and leaves . adults prefer to feed and lay eggs on the tree of heaven ( ailanthus altissima ) . if allowed to spread in the united states , this pest could seriously harm the country’s grape , orchard , and logging industries . we have reached out to researchers in korea to learn more about this destructive pest , and pda is conducting research on the ground to see if removing ailanthus host trees , which also happen to be invasive , and chipping the wood effectively kills spotted lanternfly nymphs .

to get rid of spotted lanternflies in their nymphal stages , banding these trees have proven quite effective . this can be done with adhesive tapes .

the brilliant colors–– red , black , and white — of the spotted lanternfly reveal one of the reasons why it is difficult to control by using natural enemies . its hues are warning colors that alert predators to the fact that the lanternfly is toxic due to poisons called cytotoxic alkaloids , which it metabolizes from some of its host plants . while the coloration of the forewings helps camouflage the lanternfly against a tree trunk , dr . dara says , the sudden flash of its vivid hindwings , when opened , startles predators and scares them away . some birds have been seen vomiting after ingesting the insect . although it is also toxic to humans , the lanternfly has been used in low quantities by practitioners of traditional chinese medicine to treat consumption and swelling .

spotted lanternfly is new to north america . though a good deal of information is available , there are still a number of unknowns . in 2015 , efforts by pda and the other cooperating partners , researchers , and volunteers will need to be evaluated . egg mass scraping and the tree banding programs will remove many insects from the population and reduce the size of the current population , but these activities will also help to better characterize how the pest is behaving in this new environment . evaluation of methodology will lead to a stronger program as pda and its partners continue to battle the spotted lanternfly .

a new invasive pest – spotted lanternfly , lycorma delicatula - has been found for the first time in the u . s . ( pennsylvania ) , and western - state growers should be aware of the insect and its host range which includes grapes and stone fruit in case the insect marches west .

damage adults and nymphs feed on phloem tissues of foliage and young stems with their piercing and sucking mouthparts and excrete large quantities of liquid . due to the sugar content of the liquid , plant parts covered with spotted lanternfly excretion harbor mold growth which could hinder plant growth or even result in death .

damage adults and nymphs feed on phloem tissues of foliage and young stems with their piercing and sucking mouthparts and excrete large quantities of liquid . due to the sugar content of the liquid , plant parts covered with spotted lanternfly excretion harbor mold growth , which could hinder plant growth or even cause death .

but rich blair , owner of blair vineyards in kutztown , says the spotted lanternflies he first discovered on his property two years ago have multiplied exponentially .

refer to the spotted lantern fact sheet and if found on your property , call the bad bug hotline at 1 - 866 - 253 - 7189 .

observations in south korea suggests that spotted lanternfly appears to have a wider host range early in life as young nymphs , and a narrow range as they grow older , especially before egg laying . choosing plants with toxic metabolites for egg laying is thought to be a mechanism of defense to protect from natural enemies .

as the spotted lanternfly was only recently introduced to north america , little is known about the extent of damage that it will cause . although it is too early to make accurate predictions on actual economic impacts , the wine and grape , tender fruit , apple , and forestry industries are at the greatest risk .

call seitz brothers of course ! we have been dealing with the spotted lanternfly for over a year now ! with a free estimate and inspection our trained technicians will be able to help you design a plan to kill these pests . call or text today to set up a free estimate 888 - 467 - 1008

harrisburg , pa - the pennsylvania department of agriculture has added 21 municipalities in berks , bucks , lehigh , montgomery and northampton counties to the areas quarantined due to the presence of the invasive insect spotted lanternfly . the quarantine was already in effect for parts of those five counties , as well as chester county .

the spotted lanternfly is a plant hopper native to china , india and vietnam , and has been introduced in south korea and japan . in korea , where it was first detected in 2004 , the spotted lanternfly is known utilize more than 70 species , 25 of which also occur in pennsylvania , including cultivated grapes , fruit trees , and hardwood species . this pest poses a significant threat to the state’s more than $ 20 . 5 million grape , nearly $ 134 million apple , and more than $ 24 million stone fruit industries , as well as the hardwood industry in pennsylvania which accounts for $ 12 billion in sales .

the article says “at least three different forms of pesticide are currently known to be useful against the adult lanternfly” . what are those three different forms of pesticides ?

the spotted lanternfly has officially arrived in the u . s . , and leaders in pennsylvania are hoping it won ' t be staying long . the invasive pest poses a threat to fruit orchards and grape vines , along with forests and the timber industry . it was detected in berks county , northwest of philadelphia .

in addition , through the efforts of the technical working group , several important questions are being investigated . these include testing the effects of chipping woody material on spotted lanternfly egg mass survivorship , the effects of various existing pesticides on immature life stages , and the attractiveness of certain plant volatiles for use in trapping programs .

montgomery county : douglass township , upper hanover township , new hanover township , west pottsgrove township , lower pottsgrove township , marlborough township , and upper frederick township , upper pottsgrove township , limerick township , upper providence township , lower frederick township , upper salford township , east greenville borough , pennsburg borough , red hill borough , royersford borough , pottstown borough , and telford borough . the quarantine may be expanded to new areas as further detections of the spotted lanternfly are detected and confirmed . intentional movement of the spotted lanternfly is expressly prohibited and is a serious offense . violations could result in criminal or civil penalties and / or fines .

native to northern china , the spotted lanternfly has spread to other parts of asia , notably korea and japan . it has caused considerable damage in those countries , which is why state authorities in berks county , pennsylvania quarantined five townships and issued an alert document to help people identify the pest . the pennsylvania department of agriculture removed more than 100 , 000 of the insects in 2015 alone , according to dr . dara’s paper . the adults are easy to catch because they seldom fly off when approached , preferring to hop away . based in california , dr . dara’s focus on the spotted lanternfly is partly motivated by its potential threat to vineyards .

and it ' s feeding , see it ' s ( mumbles ) right into the abdomen of this lanternfly it has killed and it ' s eating the content .

spotted lanternfly is native to northern china ( liu 1939 ) . it was first detected as an exotic species in south korea in 2004 , and has since rapidly spread to different parts of that country ( kim and kim 2005 ) . more recently , individuals have been detected in japan ( kim et al . 2013 ) .

last year , an invasive pest known as the spotted lanternfly was found in the united states for the first time ever in berks county , pennsylvania . tucked away in pennsylvania dutch country , berks county may seem an unlikely location to find a foreign pest , but with today’s global economy unwanted pests can show up almost anywhere .

adults can be seen as early as the middle of july and take on a much different appearance . adults at rest have a black head and grayish wings with black spots . the tips of the wings are a combination of black rectangular blocks with grey outlines . when startled or flying the spotted lanternfly will display hind wings that are red at the base and black at the tip with a white stripe dividing them . the red portion of the wing is also adorned with black spots . the abdomen is bright to pale yellow with bands of black on the top and bottom surfaces . while a poor flyer , the spotted lanternfly is a strong jumper .

i live near ground zero for lantern fly introduction and am seeing an explosion of preying mantis and have observed them eating lanternfly… . . just one more avenue of research… .

spotted lanternfly feeds on a variety of host plants including vines , fruit trees , ornamental trees , and woody trees . apples , birch , cherry , dogwood , grapes , korean evodia , lilac , maple , poplar , stone fruits , and tree - of - heaven are among more than 70 species of hosts attacked by the pest .

the scout motto is the best advice for pest managers who want to establish a first line of defense against problematic invasive insects even before they become established , according to dr . surendra dara , an ipm and crop advisor at the university of california . “be prepared , ” is what he and his co - authors suggest in a paper published in the journal of integrated pest management on possible tactics to manage the invasive spotted lanternfly ( lycorma delicatula ) , which was detected last year in pennsylvania . pest managers who ignore reports of a new invasive species such as the spotted lanternfly because it is not yet established in their locale do so at their own peril , he said .

in korea , where the spotted lanternfly is an introduced pest , the insect has been found to attack at least 65 plant species , 25 of which are known to grow in pennsylvania . state agriculture officials say it has been observed in berks county both feeding and mating and has been found on willow , maple , aspen and tulip poplar .