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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><img width="83" height="119" style="width:.8645in;height:1.2395in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D78AC7.D0168220" alt="DEM-logo-small"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:#00457A">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">235 Promenade Street | Providence, RI 02908 | 401.222.4700 |</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">| @RhodeIslandDEM</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Gail Mastrati, 401-255-6144<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Friday, August 6, 2021
</span><a href="mailto:gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span lang="DE" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">SPOTTED LANTERNFLY, AN INVASIVE PEST TARGETING
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span lang="DE" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">PLANTS AND TREES, DETECTED FOR FIRST TIME IN RHODE ISLAND
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="318" height="299" style="width:3.3125in;height:3.1145in" src="cid:image006.jpg@01D78DC1.B946FA00" align="right" hspace="12" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_3"><![endif]><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">PROVIDENCE
– The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announces that the spotted lanternfly (SLF), an exotic pest that targets various plants and trees, has been detected for the first time in Rhode Island. Native to Asia, SLF is most commonly associated with
“Tree of Heaven” (<i>Ailanthus altissima</i>) plants and also feeds on a wide variety of agricultural crops such as grape, apple and hops; and several native species of plants and trees including maple, walnut and willow.
<span style="letter-spacing:.25pt"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">A single SLF was found in an industrial/commercial area in Warwick near Jefferson Blvd. and a photo of the insect was sent to DEM through its
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/pestalert"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">online agricultural pest alert system</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">. DEM’s Division of Agriculture confirmed the sighting
on August 2 and is asking the public to report any suspected sightings at</span>
<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ridem.wufoo.com/forms/spotted-lanternfly-sighting-report-form/__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!ZYehQKjv3DSNOW7tXsX2nmVZ8ZCvIsohqXuJgFWyhxwE9qn2uu87tFDLq7DxL5gGP8fQkOPD$">
<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov/reportspottedlanternfly</span> [ridem.wufoo.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">. No known population of SLF is currently present in this area. DEM will be conducting an extensive survey
of the area based on US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommendations to determine if there is any further presence of the invasive insect and will be providing outreach materials to businesses in the area.
</span><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">SLF found in Warwick; Photo Credit Brittany Iacobucci</span></i><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:red"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-weight:normal;font-style:normal"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">“In Rhode Island, more than 800 acres of agricultural lands including vineyards, orchards and berry farms are at risk of being infested with SLF, so it’s critical that we take the necessary
steps to detect and stop the spread of this invasive pest, particularly since it has now been found in our state,” said Cynthia Kwolek, senior environmental planner and RI CAPS state survey coordinator in DEM’s Division of Agriculture.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">DEM, in partnership with the University of Rhode Island (URI) conducted a statewide survey in 2019 of local vineyards and areas with large populations
of “Tree of Heaven” plants for SLF. </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Earlier this year and also in 2020<span style="color:black">, DEM and URI held a series of public workshops to help municipalities, the grower industry, and residents
prepare for and respond to this invasive pest, should it be detected in the state.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="A insect on the ground Description automatically generated" style='position:absolute;margin-left:0;margin-top:.2pt;width:230.55pt;height:152.5pt;z-index:251659264;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page'>
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Description automatically generated" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">In
addition to its spotted patterning, the adult SLF’s unique colors feature scarlet underwings, yellow markings on the abdomen, and tan semi-transparent forewings. Adult lanternflies are about an inch long and are active from August until the first hard freeze,
which typically occurs from late October into November. </span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-weight:normal;font-style:normal"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Although SLF can fly distances on its own, these pests are excellent hitch hikers and mainly spread through human movement. Their inconspicuous egg masses can be laid on pallets, vehicles
and other goods, so it is important to inspect shipping materials and adhere to travel restrictions when moving through areas that are under quarantine for SLF. The following tips can help stop the spread of SLF:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">• Inspect firewood, vehicles, outdoor furniture, and camping gear for egg masses, nymphs, and adults.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">• If you visit states with SLF, check all your gear and equipment before leaving and scrape off any egg masses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-weight:normal;font-style:normal"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">SLF was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has quickly spread through surrounding states. An invasive plant-hopper that is currently infesting portions
of the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, SLF</span></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> has established populations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia with individual finds in New York, Connecticut
and Massachusetts.<span style="color:black"> </span><span class="MsoBookTitle">In
</span>Pennsylvania, where the pest has been spreading for over six years, there has been significant yield loss in vineyards and the insect has become a public nuisance.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">To learn more about SLF, visit DEM’s Agricultural Pest Alerts website at:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/agriculture/pests-spotted-lanternfly.php"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov/spottedlanternfly</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> or the
URI website at: </span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://web.uri.edu/biocontrol/spotted-lanternfly/__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!ZYehQKjv3DSNOW7tXsX2nmVZ8ZCvIsohqXuJgFWyhxwE9qn2uu87tFDLq7DxL5gGP6_Fx5FN$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">https://web.uri.edu/biocontrol/spotted-lanternfly/</span> [web.uri.edu]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">To report a potential finding, please visit:</span></i><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
</span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ridem.wufoo.com/forms/spotted-lanternfly-sighting-report-form/__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!ZYehQKjv3DSNOW7tXsX2nmVZ8ZCvIsohqXuJgFWyhxwE9qn2uu87tFDLq7DxL5gGP8fQkOPD$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov/reportspottedlanternfly</span> [ridem.wufoo.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:red"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-weight:normal;font-style:normal"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">http://www.dem.ri.gov/</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">. Follow us on Facebook at
</span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!ZYehQKjv3DSNOW7tXsX2nmVZ8ZCvIsohqXuJgFWyhxwE9qn2uu87tFDLq7DxL5gGP99DEWPM$" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM</span> [facebook.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> or on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) for
timely updates.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">-30-<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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