Spotted Lanternfly (SLF)

At Smith Robotics Lab, we “Find what’s good, and make it last.” This philosophy is reflected in our passion for supporting normalcy in production, including the preservation of domestic agricultural systems and combatting ecoterrorism. The United Nations Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services reports an excess of $423B in annual costs of invasive alien species.

The spotted lanternfly is a new invasive species, identified in 2014, alien to North America. This small winged bug’s favorite host is the Tree of Heaven, another invasive. The pest also likes domestic agriculture products and is anticipated to have a drastic effect on the economy of the USA. Pennsylvania has been hardest hit to date, wherein they have had to institute new permits to do transportation business in the state. A 2019 study concludes the direct economic impact of SLF in Pennsylvania state alone to be $324M per annum and over 2,800 jobs; similar numbers are reported for New York State. NYSIPM Interactive Spotted Lanternfly Map updated October 13, 2023 reports infestation with quarantine in seven (7) states, infestations present in nineteen (19) states, and sightings in twenty-one (21) states.

We predict annual losses in excess of $6B and 60,000 jobs in states with current infestations of SLF.

To protect domestic production, we must adopt modern technological capabilities for non-frivolous pursuits. We are currently seeking funding to combat the species utilizing modern technology. We envision a scalable, cost-effective solution utilizing cutting edge tech to combat this new pest.

To date we have performed design tasks in support of the following systems:

1. SLLAM: Spotted Lanternfly Localization and Advanced Mitigation

2. GARTH: The Guided, Automated, Remover of the Tree of Heaven

3. SLAIT: The Spotted Lanternfly and Arboreal Invasives Terminator