Burlington County continues to battle against the spotted lanternfly invasion and is seeking volunteers to help beat back the bugs this winter while they are at their most vulnerable stage.
The Burlington County Parks System is partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to hold five upcoming volunteer egg scraping sessions at various County parks. The events are part of the County’s strategy to try to control damages from the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect from Asia with an appetite for fruit trees, ornamental trees, woody trees, vegetables, herbs, grapes and vines.
“Burlington County is renown for our scenic parks, forests and farms. We all need to work together to protect these precious resources from invasive species like the spotted lanternfly,” said Burlington County Commissioner Allison Eckel, the liaison to the Department of Resource Conservation. “Last year, volunteers helped us destroy more than 500 spotted lanternfly egg masses in our parks. That prevented more than 25,000 of the bugs from hatching and threatening trees and plants, so these volunteer scraping sessions do make a difference.”
During the scraping sessions, volunteers learn from Parks staff and USDA specialists how to easily identify and destroy the eggs of these pesky bugs. They’ll then use those skills to seek out hidden egg masses in the park. Scraping tools will be provided.
It’s a great volunteer activity for anyone looking to protect Burlington County’s parks, natural resources and landscapes, plus the skills volunteers learn can help safeguard their own backyards and neighborhoods.
The upcoming volunteer scraping sessions will be held from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM at the following locations:
- Jan. 10 at the Burlington County Agricultural Center, 500 Centerton Road, Moorestown
- Jan. 27 at Amico Island Park, 81 Norman Avenue, Delran
- Feb. 9 at Amico Island Park, 81 Norman Avenue, Delran
- Feb. 17 at Pennington Park, 801 Creek Road, Delanco
- Feb. 28 at Pennington Park, 801 Creek Road, Delanco.
Registration is required and can be done online at https://rb.gy/f3vgrh .
“Scraping is a great volunteer activity for individuals, families or groups looking to protect our environment,” Eckel said. “We’re encouraging as many residents as possible to register to volunteer and help control this invasive pest both in our parks and beyond.”