VOA慢速英语--Lanternflies Causing Big Problems in Pennsylvania

 

The Associated Press (AP) recently reported on what it calls the Great Spotted¹ Lanternfly War.

On one side are the people of Pennsylvania, what the news agency calls the state’s citizen-soldiers. Their enemy is a large, colorful insect: the spotted lanternfly.

Lanternflies are native to Southeast Asia. They were first discovered in southeastern Pennsylvania five years ago. The insects suck fluids from valuable plants, causing the plants to weaken.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture says the invaders² could affect fruits such as grapes and also hardwoods. It adds that the flies are reducing the quality of life for people in some areas. The lanternflies leave their clear, sticky and sugary waste on homes, swimming pools and other structures.

However, Pennsylvania’s citizen-soldiers are fighting back. The AP reports that they are armed with fly swatters, sticky tape and dish soap. People are stepping on them and using chemical poisons. Some are reporting their kills on social media.

And still the invaders come. They will fly in your face, land on your clothing and climb down the back of your neck.

The lanternfly has expanded its territory to include New Jersey³, Delaware and Virginia. This is causing concern in those states as well as at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is involved in containment⁴ and suppression efforts.

Controlling the lanternflies

Researchers are looking for ways to control the insects. But “controlling them on a population level is almost impossible at this point,” said Heather Leach⁵ of Penn State Extension.

Lori Beatrice can relate. Large numbers of lanternflies now live around the back of her home in Phoenixville, about 50 kilometers from Philadelphia. She and her husband have killed thousands, but “we’re outnumbered,” Beatrice said.

The insects are a threat to grapes that supply Pennsylvania’s $4.8 billion wine industry.

Dean Scott grows grapes for local wineries around the Berks County community of Kutztown. He has been putting insecticide on his vines. It works for a few days, but then the insects return.

One of Scott’s fellow growers left the business after losing 16 hectares of vines.

Scott said, “My fear is that if this continues, we’re going to lose the battle here in Pennsylvania.”

Scientists from Pennsylvania State University, Cornell University and other organizations are trying to prevent that from happening. They are testing chemical and biological methods of control.

Work crews are removing tree of heaven from public property. The trees are an invasive plant that lanternflies like. Females are beginning to lay their eggs now. So, Pennsylvania is urging its citizen militia⁶ to remove the egg masses from trees, cars and other surfaces.

Shannon Powers is with the Department of Agriculture. “We’re heading into the season where everyday people can have the greatest impact on what happens next year,” she said.

One man's story

If most Pennsylvanians in the Great Spotted Lanternfly War are regular Army, Jim Wood is Special Forces.

To deal with the lanternflies that have been attacking his trees, Wood uses a wet/dry vacuum cleaner. He goes to work at least once a day. He estimates that he has killed almost 40,000 lanternflies this year.

But even this super-soldier can feel hopeless because of the size of the enemy force.

“There are some days I just wanted to quit,” he said.

I’m Caty Weaver⁷.

Words in This Story

fly swatter – n. a hand-held device, usually made of plastic, for killing⁸ insects

soap – n. a substance used with water for cleaning and washing

wine – n. an alcoholic⁹ drink made from grapes

regular – adj. normal; traditional

stocking – n. women’s clothing that fits over the foot and stretches up the leg

quit – v. to leave permanently; to give up

1 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

2 invaders   

入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They prepared to repel the invaders. 他们准备赶走侵略军。
• The family has traced its ancestry to the Norman invaders. 这个家族将自己的世系追溯到诺曼征服者。

3 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

4 containment   

n.阻止，遏制；容量

参考例句：

• Your list might include such things as cost containment,quality,or customer satisfaction.你的清单上应列有诸如成本控制、产品质量、客户满意程度等内容。
• Insularity and self-containment,it is argued,go hand in hand.他们争论说，心胸狭窄和自我封闭是并存的。

5 leach   

v.分离，过滤掉；n.过滤；过滤器

参考例句：

• Liquid water can leach soluble materials from the interface.液态水能够从界面溶解出可溶性物质。
• They believe that the humic materials are leached from decaying plant materials.他们认为腐植物料是从腐烂的植物体浸沥而来。

6 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

7 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

8 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

9 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。