MONT ALTO, Pa. ― The Franklin County Penn State Extension office will host a community meeting about the spotted lanternfly at 6:30 p.m. on July 26 in the General Studies Building Auditorium at Penn State Mont Alto.

During this information session, community members will hear from Elizabeth Brantley, associate professor in forest technology at the Mont Alto campus. She will describe how the spotted lanternfly arrived in Pennsylvania and its potential impacts to the region. She also will provide tips on how to identify the pest and what to do if found in Franklin County.

The spotted lanternfly is black, around an inch long, with red and white spots on its wings and a yellow abdomen. Native to China, India, Japan and Vietnam, it was first detected in Berks County in the fall of 2014. This insect has the potential to cause serious harm to Pennsylvania’s grape, hops and logging industries. Currently, 13 counties east of Franklin are under quarantine in an effort to stop/slow the spread of this invasive pest.

More information on the spotted lanternfly can be found at extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly.