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Spotted lanternfly could cost Pennsylvania $324 million a year, Penn State study finds

Researchers at Penn State says the state's spotted lanternfly infestation could drain $324 million from the economy and 2,800 jobs because of the fecund pests' voracious hunger for trees and valuable crops.

FILE - This Sept. 19, 2019, file photo, shows a spotted lanternfly at a vineyard in Kutztown, Pa. Penn State researchers estimate the spotted lanternfly is causing some $50 million in damage per year in the state’s hard-hit southeast.
FILE - This Sept. 19, 2019, file photo, shows a spotted lanternfly at a vineyard in Kutztown, Pa. Penn State researchers estimate the spotted lanternfly is causing some $50 million in damage per year in the state’s hard-hit southeast.Read moreMatt Rourke / AP