In this CityScene Columbus article, Jacob Burns from Davey's West Columbus office discusses how you can protect your yard from invasive species such as spotted lanternfly.
Trees tend to be a stable presence in our lives, so it’s easy to forget they need care and attention each season to ensure proper growth. Jacob Burns, an arborist for the West Columbus Davey Tree office, says the spotted lanternfly – a pesky invasive species new to central Ohio – should be on your radar this season. 
“This is an invasive species; that means there are no natural predators for it and it goes crazy on everything,” Burns says. “The closest county it’s been to us has been Fairfield County, so it is getting closer, especially to the Grove City area.”
Lanternflies lay eggs in April and May, and their nymphs – which are black with white spots – emerge in late spring. As they mature, they turn red and don black spots. Because of typical pest maturation cycles, the USDA officially declared August Tree Check Month. They won’t bite or sting humans; they are only a physical threat to plants around your home.
To learn about warning signs and how you can treat your plants affected by invasive species, click here.
For more information, contact the West Columbus Davey office.
The Davey Tree Expert Company, headquartered in Kent, Ohio, provides research-driven tree services, grounds maintenance and environmental and utility infrastructure consulting for residential, utility, commercial and environmental partners in the U.S. and Canada. As one of the top ten largest employee-owned companies in the U.S., Davey's 12,000 employees have been dedicated to creating and delivering sustainable solutions since 1880. Apply today to join the Davey legacy, and learn about how we're growing with our new SEED Campus.
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