On Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer revealed New Yorkers could do their part in the battle against the spotted lantern flies threatening the state’s plant life.
Schumer said New Yorkers would get a multimillion-dollar boost to help poison, trap, and track the pesky insects.
“When you see a bug like this, stamp it out,” Schumer said.
“It can’t hurt you. They don’t sting, they don’t bite, but they can spread,” Schumer added.
Schumer promised a $22 million federal allocation for the state to squash out the menace, with most of the funding going to New York City.
According to reports, spotted lantern flies are particularly threatening because they feed off the sap of some 70 kinds of vegetation, Schumer noted, endangering plant life from Central Park to Long Island’s vineyards and beyond.
“We’re demanding action because pockets of New York City, Long Island, and upstate are infested with this invasive bug,” he said.
“These bugs are a real danger to our city, our state, and even our country,” he added.
Moreover, Schumer said some $200 million has already been allocated to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
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