Kenton Sumpter Will Talk About ‘Tracking the Spotted Lanternfly: On the Trail of the Destructive Insect’ in Tuesday, April 25, Edition of Montgomery Parks Online Speaker Series

The spotted lanternfly is a non-native, invasive, sap-eating insect that is considered a nuisance to humans and a threat to plants. Thousands of them can swarm on trees and structures, leaving behind a sticky residue. At 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 25, Kenton Sumpter will address “Tracking the Spotted Lanternfly: On the Trail of the Destructive Insect” in the latest edition of the free online Montgomery Parks Speaker Series.

Mr. Sumpter is an entomologist with the Maryland Department of Agriculture. He works in the Department of Plant Protection and Weed Management Spotted Lanternfly Program. He graduated from Frostburg State University with a Bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries and holds a Master’s degree in entomology from Virginia Tech.

He will lead the discussion about the lanternfly, which feeds on more than 80 plant species including trees, fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants. The spotted lanternfly was first found in Maryland in 2018 in Cecil County. It has now spread to 16 counties including Montgomery. During the presentation Mr. Sumpter will discuss the problems the lanternfly poses and how residents can identify and combat its spread.

To access the presentation, go to www.MontgomeryParks.org/SpeakerSeries.