Invasion of the Invasives: Dame's Rocket and Spotted Lanternflies
Invasion of the Invasives: Dame’s Rocket and Spotted Lanternfly
Written by Kristine Manganelli (Somerset County 4-H Coordinator)
Dame’s Rocket
Aren’t these flowers beautiful? They’re called Dame’s Rocket and you’ve probably seen them along the side of the road, during a hike in the woods, or like me, in your own backyard. The blooms come in purple, pink, and white and are currently in full bloom here in New Jersey. There is a catch, though. Dame’s Rocket may look pretty, but it should be an unwelcome sight. They are what’s called, an invasive species.
An invasive species is any organism that is not native to a local ecosystem. They adapt to new areas easily, reproduce quickly, and cause harm to native species by consuming available resources like nutrients and sunlight. With no natural predators or competitors to control their population, invasive species thrive, crowding out the native species that evolved to live there and leaving a mono-culture in their place.
A healthy ecosystem is a native and diverse plant community. A variety of plants provide the native animals food and habitat that invasive species cannot. Non-native species degrade soil quality which can lead to erosion or flooding, and even impact water quality. In the United States there are over 100 million acres of land with invasive plant infestations.
Close up of Dame’s Rocket
Invasive species are often brought to an area accidentally as is the case with Dame’s Rocket which was brought to the United States from Europe as an ornamental garden plant in the 1600s. It is still included in wildflower seed mixes today, and is so pervasive, that many people believe it to be a native wildflower. In fact, Dame’s Rocket is not even listed as an invasive species in many states.
But Dame’s Rocket fits the invasive plant criteria to a tee. After flowering it produces large amounts of seeds in pods from May through July which are dispersed by wind, birds and other animals that eat them. Dame’s Rocket seems to have allelopathic tendencies which is a phenomenon in which plants have the ability to produce chemicals that inhibit the growth of other plants around them. This advantage combined with their ability to colonize rapidly allows Dame’s Rocket to out-compete the natives in the area.
What you can do: Since New Jersey does designate Dame’s Rocket an invasive species, there are some actions you can take to help! Educate your friends and family about the disadvantages of invasive species. Only plant native, non-invasive species in your yard. Phlox is an often misidentified look alike, and a native alternative. Check if wildflower seed mixes include Dame’s Rocket before using. If you have Dame’s Rocket on your property, hand pull it out, making sure to get the root. It is best to pull before seed pods form, and thrown away in garbage bags to prevent spread.
There are invasive insects out there as well. You may have been hearing the buzz about another unwelcome visitor to our area, Spotted Lanternflies. First sightings in New Jersey occurred as recently as 2018, and have already spread to eleven counties in just two years. Like other invasive species, the spotted lanternfly has no predators to keep the population under control and was accidentally brought to the United States, but this time from Asia.
Unfortunately, Somerset county is included on this list, and we are in a Spotted Lanternfly quarantine. Citizens in the quarantined counties are encouraged to check things like vehicles, firewood, or lawn equipment for eggs, nymphs or adult spotted lanternfly hitch-hikers to stop the movement into new areas. If you’re interested in learning more, check out the New Jersey State Spotted Lanterfly Checklist.
Spotted Lanternfly eggs on the left with Spotted Lanternfly nymphs in the middle and right.
Spotted lanternflies are a type of insect called plant hoppers. The adults can be seen flying in the fall, and their eggs can be found in late fall and winter. They look like splotches of mud on tree bark. In the Spring and Summer, the spotted lanternflies hatch and grow into the nymph stage. Be on the lookout for insects resembling a stink bug but black or red in color with white polka dots. These are an extremely rare characteristic of native insects, making them easy to identify. Adults have the same colors and spots, but have wings similar to a moth.
The spotted lanternfly impacts seventy different plant species, such as hardwood trees, fruit trees, ornamental trees, vegetables, and vines. Check for their eggs on tree hosts including Tree of Heaven, black walnut, red maple, river birch, willow, and agricultural crops such as grapes, apples, and peaches.
Looking ahead, this could become problematic for farmers and have negative economic impact on our communities as spotted lanternflies cause extensive damage. The adults feed in large groups by piercing their sucking mouth-parts into plant trunks and limbs to extract the sap it needs to survive. In the process they excrete honey dew, a sugary substance that encourages the growth of sooty mold fungus on plant and tree surfaces. This causes wounds that ooze and weep, weakening and killing plants and trees over time.
Adult Spotted Lanterfly
What you can do: If you see egg masses on trees in your yard, scrape them off, double bag and throw away. If possible, remove any “Tree of Heaven” trees from your property; they are also an invasive species, and a preference of Spotted Lanternflies. The New Jersey Department of Agriculture needs your help in identifying areas where low numbers of this insect may be. You can email pictures of suspected spotted lanternflies to: SLF-plantindustry@ag.nj.gov, call the New Jersey Spotted Lanternfly Hotline at 1-833-223-2840 (BAD-BUG-0), or send photos to slanternfly@njaes.rutgers.edu.