With inland water temperatures rising and aquatic plants emerging, DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife is treating downstate public ponds for the nuisance aquatic weed hydrilla. Uncontrolled hydrilla can choke the water, crowding out beneficial plant species and preventing fishing and boating access. Ponds being treated this year are Griffiths Pond near Milford, Concord Pond near Seaford, and Wagamons Pond in Milton. Signs are posted at the boat ramp of each pond on the day of treatment.

Sonar, registered and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is an aquatic herbicide containing fluridone. It is used to treat Hydrilla, a non-native, invasive plant that likely entered the state through the aquarium trade. Sonar has been used in Delaware since the 1980s, and has proven to be environmentally-compatible and effective for controlling hydrilla. Sonar does not pose a threat to wildlife, including fish, nor are there any restrictions placed on fishing or consumption of fish as a result of these treatments.

The only special restriction is to not use water from the treated ponds for irrigation for 30 days from the date of treatment. Residents and farmers along and directly downstream of treated ponds should not use the water to irrigate their gardens, yards, or agricultural lands during that period to avoid possible damage to their plantings, and landowners with permits to use water from these ponds will be directly notified before treatment.

To prevent the spread of hydrilla and other invasive aquatic vegetation, anglers and boaters are encouraged to remove all hydrilla and other aquatic plants from their boats, trailers, and gear before leaving the boat ramp area.

For additional information, contact the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries section at 302-739-9914.

About DNREC

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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DOVER, Del. – The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) announced today that they expanded the spotted lanternfly quarantine to include all portions of New Castle County north of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. This is due to recent detections of established populations outside of the initial quarantine zone enacted in February 2019 that included eleven zip codes.

“This expansion is necessary in our attempt to eradicate, control, and prevent the spread of spotted lanternfly in Delaware and to surrounding states. Along with conducting surveys, our Plant Industries inspectors, in conjunction with USDA contractors, have treated 19,685 trees in the initial quarantine zone, encompassing 130 properties,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “With the current presence of adult lanternflies, Delawareans have been actively reporting sightings of this pest over the past two weeks, including areas in the original quarantine zone as well as new sites in New Castle County. Our inspectors investigated these reports and determined established populations of spotted lanternfly were present at these new sites, thus requiring us to expand the quarantine.”

The spotted lanternfly is a destructive invasive plant hopper that attacks many hosts including trees, shrubs, orchards, grapes, and hops. The insect is detrimental to Delaware’s agricultural industry, forests, and residential areas. Due to quarantines in other states, interstate commerce will be impacted if the pest is transported out of the Delaware quarantine area.

The quarantine can expand if there is reason to believe that the pest has moved to a non-quarantined area. A quarantine means that any material or object that could harbor the pest cannot be moved without taking precautions to prevent the spread. Adults can fly, hop, or drop onto a vehicle – meaning that this pest can easily be transported to new areas where it can create another infestation.

“We have heard from many residents who are seeing an abundance of adult spotted lanternfly and are overwhelmed by their presence and want to know what they can do,” said DDA Plant Industries Administrator Jessica Inhof. “We realize that residents cannot kill all of them, but even stomping on one makes a difference. We want to decrease the number of female spotted lanternfly available to lay egg masses, which will directly impact the population that hatches out in the spring.”

Beginning at the end of September, the female spotted lanternfly will lay several egg masses of 30 to 50 eggs wherever it chooses, especially on flat surfaces. Eggs will survive the winter and nymphs will hatch out beginning the end of April 2020. Residents can help by scraping off egg masses into a bag containing rubbing alcohol or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and crushing them to destroy the eggs.

Any person conducting business for a commercial business, a municipality, or a government agency that requires movement of any regulated item within or from the quarantine area must have a permit, available through the DDA spotted lanternfly website. To obtain a permit, a designated individual from an organization must receive training and pass an online test to demonstrate a working knowledge and understanding of the pest and quarantine requirements. Training of other employees, inspection of vehicle and products, and removal of living stages of spotted lanternfly must be completed. The permit demonstrates the individual understands how to identify the pest and can ensure the items transported are not carrying the insect.

To move regulated items, the general public is encouraged to download and print a residential compliance checklist indicating that you inspected, and know that no living life stage of the spotted lanternfly is present, on regulated articles before moving them. The checklist is available online at https://de.gov/hitchhikerbug. DDA recommends keeping the checklist in the glovebox of each vehicle and dating when specific items on the list are inspected prior to transporting.

Examples of regulated articles include:

• Any living life stage of the spotted lanternfly
• Landscaping, remodeling, or construction materials
• Firewood of any species
• Packing materials (e.g. wood crates, boxes)
• All plants and plant parts including all live and dead trees, perennial and annual plants, and mulch
• Outdoor household articles like RVs, lawnmowers, chairs, grills, tarps, tile, stone, deckboards, and other vehicles not stored indoors.

For more detailed information regarding the quarantine, permitting, treatment, or to report a sighting of spotted lanternfly, visit the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s dedicated spotted lanternfly webpage at https://de.gov/hitchhikerbug or call the dedicated spotted lanternfly hotline at (302) 698-4632. When leaving a message, leave your contact information and, if reporting a sighting, please provide the location of the sighting.

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Media Contact: Stacey Hofmann, (302) 698-4542, Stacey.Hofmann@delaware.gov

LEWES  – The Gordons Pond Trail at Cape Henlopen State Park will close at 7 a.m. Monday, Sept. 16 for routine trail maintenance and invasive species control. The area will remain closed until Division of Parks & Recreation staff have completed the necessary work on the trail.

The invasive species that will be treated is known as phragmites. Phragmites is an aggressive wetlands grass which outcompetes native plants. The treatment of this species will help create a better environment for native plants as well as improve the view-shed for trail users.

DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation thanks trail users for their patience and understanding as the area is undergoing maintenance. All work is weather dependent.

Media contact: Jayme Gravell, DNREC Division of Parks & Recreation, 302.739.7112

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Media: Images of fire ants can be found at the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.

DOVER — State authorities are alerting local businesses and purchasers of tropical nursery stock of the recent detection of fire ants in a shipment of palm trees imported from Florida.

The red imported fire ants were detected during a routine check at a Sussex County business by the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Plant Industries nursery inspection team. They were eradicated and do not pose a threat.

“Buyers of tropical nursery stock – such as palm trees – should carefully inspect their plants for small, aggressive red stinging ants,” said Jeff Brothers, Nursery Inspection Supervisor for the Department of Agriculture. “We need these to be reported quickly and promptly to keep them from spreading or staying in Delaware over the winter.”

Anyone finding a suspicious ant should call DDA’s Plant Industries Section at 302-698-4500 or 800-282-8685 (toll-free for Delaware only).

A federal quarantine is in place for fire ants in part or all of Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Puerto Rico, covering more than 367 million acres. The U.S. Department of Agriculture only allows shipments of nursery stock from quarantined states with an inspection certificate.

Faith Kuehn, DDA’s Plant Industries Administrator, said that anyone who travels in those states should not bring plants or plant material back into Delaware that has not been properly inspected; plants should be accompanied by a state inspection certificate. Nurseries or other vendors should check each shipment received for the proper credentials and inspection certificates.

“We are urging caution on all fronts because of the ability of fire ants to spread quickly and the danger they pose,” Kuehn said. “We have had good luck so far, but that depends on prompt reporting and inspections.”

Imported fire ants pose a hazard to both human and animal health and to agriculture. Young animals and young trees are both susceptible, while nests in fields can interfere with cultivation and harvesting. When their nests are disturbed, they can be very aggressive, crawling up vertical surfaces and biting and stinging in a swarm.

Red imported fire ants are small (3-6 mm long) red to reddish brown ants. Mounds can be 18 inches high and three feet across, and have no visible external opening, unlike ant hills. Stings are very painful, and venom from a fire ant attack can cause a variety of symptoms in humans, including nausea, dizziness and allergic reactions including anaphylactic shock. More information on red imported fire ants can be found at www.aphis.usda.gov.

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Media contact:
Dan Shortridge
Director of Communications & Marketing
Delaware Department of Agriculture
302-698-4520

Invading Your Forest – Woodland Management Workshop
at Delaware Ag. Week on Jan. 17 at Delaware State Fairgrounds

“Invading Your Forest,” a workshop on managing invasive species in Delaware woodlands, will be held on Friday, January 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the ACE building-Delaware State Fairgrounds, Harrington. The program is designed for forest landowners, forest businesses, community ‘open-space’ managers, and anyone interested in learning more about Mile-A-Minute Weed, Kudzu, Porcelainberry, Japanese Hop, Wisteria, Asian Longhorned Beetle, Emerald Ash Borer and other non-native invaders encroaching into Delaware forestland.

Attendees will learn techniques for identifying and eradicating invasive plants and pests from members of the Delaware Invasive Species Council, University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware Department of Agriculture, USDA-Natural Resources Service, USDA-Agriculture Research Service, Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control and ‘experienced’ landowners.

This workshop is sponsored by the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, Delaware Forestry Association and Delaware Tree Farm Program as part of the 2014 Delaware Agricultural Week, which begins January 13. The annual event provides numerous educational opportunities for those interested in agriculture production: from bees to livestock, irrigation to pasture management, and fruit to vegetables. All educational events will be hosted at the Delaware State Fairgrounds, in Harrington. For more information on all activities surrounding Delaware AG Week, visit the website: http://sites.udel.edu/delawareagweek/

Preregistration for the woodland management workshop is required by either calling the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension-Kent County office @ 302-730-4000 or emailing Dot Abbott @ dotad@udel.edu  

Media Contact: Dot Abbott (302) 730-4000
Email: dotad@udel.edu
University of Delaware Cooperative Extension
69 Transportation Circle, Dover, Delaware 19901