Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • S p r i n g 2 0 1 9 14 BEACHCOMBER continued from page 13 Spotted Lanternfly Invasion Be On The Lookout For This Highly Destructive Pest An adult Spotted Lanternfly. R esidents of Monmouth and Ocean counties need to be on the look- out for a new invasive insect, the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) or lycorma delicatula. Feeding on the sap of over seventy types of plants, these plan- thoppers cause significant damage and even death to ornamentals and nursery plants as well as forestry and agricultural crops. Last year, the SLF was found in three New Jersey coun- ties, Mercer, Warren, and Hunterdon, which led to a quarantine in these areas. Unfortunately, it may be just a matter of time before the insect reaches beyond these borders. Native to parts of Southeast Asia, the SLF was first identified in the U.S. in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 2014. Since then, it has spread to twelve other counties in eastern Pennsylvania as well as Frederick County, Virginia, Albany and Yates counties in New York, and the three New Jersey counties. While the insect can only jump or fly short distances, it's an excellent hitchhiker. They perch or lay their eggs on any number of surfaces, such as trees, vehicles, and outdoor articles, and thus spread easily from human activity. Identifying the Spotted Lanternfly So what can you do? First, be able to identify the SLF in its five stages of growth. (See illustration.) Look for egg masses in early spring through June. The first nymphs hatch in May and June. Incapable of flight, the young nymphs are black with bright white spots and are about the size playwright married Charlie Chaplin, the cinema's most celebrated come- dian-director. Although she was one-third his age when she wed, they remained happily married until his death thirty-four years later. O'Neill disapproved of the marriage, cutting off contact with Oona. O'Neill died in 1953. His will spe- cifically excluded Shane, Oona, and their children, present and future. The Old House was demolished in the early 1990s and two modern homes have replaced it. —Jeff Heim Agnes Boulton's account of the first years of her marriage to Eugene O'Neill, "Part of a Long Story," contains detailed and highly readable accounts of O'Neill's days in Point Pleasant. Crosswell Bowen's "The Curse of the Misbegotten" was written with the help of son Shane and brings his local perspective the forefront. The biography of Oona O'Neill Chaplin, "Oona, Living in the Shadows," contains a wealth of information on the Boultons in Point Pleasant. In addition, there is a fascinating two- volume biography of O'Neill's entire life, "Life with Monte Cristo" and "By Women Possessed," by Arthur and Barbara Gelb. A version of this article appeared in the Point Pleasant Historical Society's newslet- ter "Term Paper" in September 1997. For more information about the Point Pleasant Historical Society, visit: www.pointpleas- anthistory.com. The SLF in its fourth stage, prior to adulthood, is vibrant red with distinct patches of black and equally distinct bright white spots. Oona O'Neill Associated Press arlutz72 arlutz72

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