A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act to designate the invasive pest as a high-priority national research initiative under the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, with the aim of funding efforts to stop its spread and protect crops.

The bill would authorize grants to support research and dissemination of treatments to curb the lanternfly’s spread and safeguard Pennsylvania and other crop regions.

Leading the effort are Senators John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), joined by co-sponsors Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

Experts describe the lanternfly’s life cycle: eggs in late spring, nymphs in early summer, red-and-black-spotted wings in July, and death by December, with mating in August.

Fetterman and McCormick stress the economic risk to Pennsylvania farmers and urge federal investment in research to protect crops and bolster the agricultural economy.

Practical guidance for residents includes squashing visible lanternflies, scraping eggs from surfaces, and reporting sightings online or through a helpline.

The bill is framed within the broader importance of Pennsylvania’s agriculture, presented as a proactive step to address this pest threat.

The provided materials do not include specific funding levels, timelines, or defined research priorities.

Officials estimate the lanternfly could cost Pennsylvania about $324 million annually if not contained due to damage to key agricultural sectors.

Background shows the lanternfly was first detected in the Susquehanna Valley in 2014, likely arriving via a stone shipment to Berks County, and has since spread across all Pennsylvania counties and into 18 other states, reaching as far as Iowa.

Since its 2014 identification in Pennsylvania, the lanternfly has significantly impacted crops like grapes, apples, peaches, and hops, threatening the state’s agricultural economy.

McCormick and Fetterman emphasize bipartisan concern for protecting farmers and agricultural production from the pest.