This vicious, tree-killing insect has been found in New Jersey.

This is an old video posted by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station but is useful to help you identify them. 

"Adults feed in large congregations from August – October and are easily recognizable. Because they spend at least one month as adults before laying eggs, this could be a critical time for management. Mating and egg laying is delayed and egg laying does not occur until October. Egg masses are laid on smooth surfaces and appear like a patch of mud. They spend the winter in this stage and thus are very likely to be accidentally transported to a new location."

There is further NJ specific and detailed info about this insect and what/where to watch out for it, and how best to eradicate them at this link.

To help survey efforts, the general public should report sightings (please include the town and county where the specimen was found and attach a photograph) to slanternfly@njaes.rutgers.edu. Farmers, nurserymen and vineyardists should also report sightings to SLF-plantindustry@ag.nj.gov. 

Apple trees and grape vines are favored by it, as well as  Black Walnut & Ailanthus trees among othar hardwoods.

Spotted Lanterfly are now being seen along the river in NJ & PA.

The National Park Service has sent an alert to park volunteers that: "Spotted Lanternfly have been spotted at the following sites in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation areas:

Weygadt - Columbia, NJ.  

Kittatinny Point -  Bushkill , PA

Coppermine Area -  NJ Pahaquarry area

Camp Mohican - Blairstown, NJ

Mount Minsi [PA] Delaware Water Gap

around 739/209 area [PA]

Marie Zimmerman House  [ Above the Dingmans Ferry Bridge in PA] "

NPS also relates:

"Currently, we have been working on treating the Ailanthus (Tree of Heaven) trees in the 209 area as these are the trees that seem to be attractive to the invasive spotted lantern fly." 

Please be very alert for this invasive species. Parts of PA had been overrun by them the past 2 years. It is very easy for this insect to hitch-hike on a car or in anything that they can latch unto - if you commute to these areas or travel through them.

 

Recent Changes in Montague Township

  If you haven't been out and about town due to COVID restrictions, you may not have noticed some changes.

The biggest news if long-awaited new firehouse/community center/storm shelter is coming along and nearing completion.

Take a look at all the progress since the ground-breaking on  March 7th at:

     http://montaguefd.org/montague-fire-dept-future-home.html

For security reasons, the Montague Post Office no longer leaves its postal boxes accessible overnight.

D&B Deli in the mini-mall on Clove Road has closed down. 

On 206, there's a new store in town, DOLLAR GENERAL.

It's located at 45 Route 206 - south of Thompson Stone, just before the former Antique Shop.

     Postponed til the Fall:   Township Cleanup 

   & Paper Shredding on Fri., 9/11 only

Courtesy https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

The Township of Montague formed 
17 years prior
to the signing of the
Declaration of Independence.

Have a safe & blessed Fourth!

Remembrance Sunday: Requiem for a Soldier

Remembrance Sunday is the day the British nation observes in Nov. to remember and honour those who have sacrificed themselves to secure and protect our freedom.

Sometimes known informally as Poppy Day ( due to the tradition of the remembrance poppy) is a the memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty.

Here in America, rather than Veterans Day, since its our day reserved to honor all living veterans, we do likewise on Memorial Day. The red poppy officially became the U.S. national emblem of remembrance in 1920 - thanks to the American Legion. So, this year, we are marking 100 years since that national tradition began.