01-05-2025
Dogs trained to detect this invasive species in Cleveland Metroparks
CLEVELAND (WJW) – It's that time of year again — the spotted lanternfly is making its way back to Ohio.
This season, however, the fight against the invasive insect is started a little earlier with help from a few four-legged recruits.
The Cleveland Metroparks is using four trained dogs to help detect spotted lanternfly egg masses.
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Officials said the dogs have proven to be more effective than humans in some forested areas. They said dogs can sniff out the eggs which are typically found on plant surfaces and can be scraped off and destroyed.
Early detection helps control the spread. Park officials said each mud-like mass contains about 30 to 50 eggs, so destroying them is a more effective way to control the population.
FOX 8 caught up with Juno, an 8-year-old black lab and her volunteer handler near the Ohio and Erie Canal Reservation in Cuyahoga Heights on Wednesday.
'We've been doing scent work already so she already understands the game. This was just a matter of adding in another odor to her repertoire,' volunteer Tara Gifford said. 'It's been a lot of fun to get out and do these searches in the parks. It also makes you feel good to be able to do something meaningful, help the environment, help the community.'
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The spotted lanternfly, which can be mistaken as a butterfly, was first seen in the Buckeye State in 2020.
The eggs will begin to hatch in early May with adults expected to emerge in about two months, attracting flies and wasps and damaging plants.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has previously encouraged residents to kill the invasive insects.
Learn how to report a sighting on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' website.
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