Residents! You can now go beyond bocce and corn-ball throwing and the activities of Game Nights. A new sport at Kendal has stimulated the competitive juices of many of our residents. It is Lanternfly Killing.
Lanternflies originated in China, but began to spread worldwide recently, first being observed in the US in 2014. They have continuously increased in number and spread throughout our country since. No organization or government agency has developed a successful method of widely limiting or decreasing their number, and many have recommended destroying individuals, when encountered. These invasive insects spread havoc on farm crops and common forest trees by sucking out essential sap and depositing a toxic substance on their leaves.
Adult lanternflies are about an inch long with black bodies. Their wings are a striking red with small black spots (like the glow of an oil lantern). This summer they have become common around Kendal. They seem to enjoy sunning themselves on our patios and paths and sidewalks. Squashing them requires certain sharp reflexes, as they are very sensitive to perturbations of the air around them. If you don't strike them by surprise, they will take a flying six-foot leap.
Most folks stomp on them; some use fly swatters.
The competition, of course, consists of comparing how many lanternflies you have destroyed in a day versus the number killed by friends and neighbors. Those who object to killing any of nature's creatures can be consoled that decreasing the numbers of these buggers is very good for the environment.