Invasive Species

Spotted Lanternfly Nymph on Japanese Stilt Grass in Holmdel, NJ

I’ve noticed, over the years, that the weeds come in waves, as one type finds a niche, is able to prosper, is attacked, and then displaced by another.

Here we see, in a photo taken from the field, a spotted lantern fly nymph on Japanese stilt grass. One invasive species cohabiting with another, both ready to severely damage the native plants of New Jersey.

Stilt grass is awful. It covers the land in a green fuzz which denies light to other ground cover plants, and then dies off leaving a stalky debris that doesn’t decompose over the winter. We have yet to see the true damage from the lantern fly, but it doesn’t look good right now.