Kentucky

Spotted lanternfly confirmed in 8 new Kentucky counties. About invasive insect

Published

3 months ago

January 8, 2026

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Spotted lanternfly confirmed in 8 new Kentucky counties. About invasive insect

The invasive spotted lanternfly has been confirmed in eight new Kentucky counties in 2025, bringing the total to 16.
Native to China, these insects pose a significant threat to agriculture, including orchards, vineyards, and various trees.
Spotted lanternflies damage plants by feeding on them and leaving behind a waste product that encourages mold growth.
Officials advise residents to inspect their property for the bugs and their egg masses, especially around dusk.
Sightings in Kentucky should be reported to the Department of Forestry or the University of Kentucky.

Entomologists have confirmed spotted lanternflies in eight more counties in Kentucky during 2025, according to a recent announcement.

These include Fayette, Franklin, Harrison, Pendleton, Robertson, Scott, Trimble and Woodford. The invasive insect was first found in the commonwealth in October 2023, in Gallatin County, and spread to counties including Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Grant, Henry, Kenton and Owen in 2024.

Here’s what to know.

What is a spotted lanternfly?

In short, the spotted lanternfly is a moth-like bug that’s not supposed to be in the U.S. The bugs tend to be red with black and/or white spots on their wings, according to the Department of Agriculture.

They’re native to China and first showed up in the U.S. in 2014. They’ve mostly been found in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, the USDA reports, but they’ve also been found in Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia.

One of the things that makes them so risky as an invasive species is that the eggs are thought to travel well, on everything from packages being shipped to moving boxes on U-Hauls.

Why are spotted lanternflies dangerous?

Spotted lanternflies can pose a major threat to the things such as orchards, vineyards and logging facilities. How? They tend to swarm and devour what they land on quickly, causing serious damage.

Their “waste product” — known as “honeydew” — can also attract molds and other bugs that further damage plants.

They pose a threat, according to the USDA, to everything from almonds, apples and hops to maple, oak and pine trees and more.

Is the spotted lanternfly in Kentucky?

Yes. The Kentucky Office of the State Entomologist said in a post to Facebook that the spotted lanternfly was confirmed in eight new commonwealth counties during 2025.

The species has been located in 16 counties total — Boone, Campbell, Carroll, Fayette, Franklin, Gallatin, Grant, Harrison, Henry, Kenton, Owen, Pendleton, Robertson, Scott, Trimble and Woodford.

What to do about spotted lanternflies

The biggest thing you can do, according to the USDA, to help control the spread of the spotted lanternfly is to keep an eye out for them.

It is recommended that you inspect trees, plants and other surfaces on your property for bugs. It’s best to do that around dusk, the USDA says, because that’s when bugs tend to congregate, making them easier to spot.

Signs that a plant may be infected include the plant oozing, becoming moldy or developing a fermented odor, according to the USDA. You may also see a “buildup of sticky fluid” beneath the infected plant.

The agency also recommends you keep an eye out for egg masses on everything from plants to boxes that hold things such as holiday decorations and often sit unattended for much of the year. If you spot an egg mass, you should scrape it “into a plastic zippered bag filled with hand sanitizer, then zip the bag shut and dispose of it,” according to the USDA.

In Kentucky, you should report sightings to your Department of Forestry regional office or reach the UK at 859-257-7597 or forestry.extension@uky.edu. UK experts also ask that anyone who finds one send a picture with the location to reportapest@uky.edu.

Contributing: Mary Ramsey, The Courier Journal. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.

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Kentucky

2026 top-50 recruit Chris Washington Jr. drawing interest from Kentucky Basketball

Published

4 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

2026 top-50 recruit Chris Washington Jr. drawing interest from Kentucky Basketball

Even in the era of the transfer portal and NIL, fans of a team will still focus on and care about recruiting. That’s especially the case with the Kentucky Wildcats. Fans are already up in arms about Kentucky’s recruiting for the class of 2026, or, in their case, lack thereof.

Only one player is signed for the class of 2026, after 4-star point guard Mason Williams announced his commitment to play for the Cats on Friday. On the board. Still work to do.

Chris Washington Jr., an Alabama decommit and top-35 senior prospect, is a new target for Mark Pope and UK ahead of the spring signing period in mid-April. The staff reached out to his AAU coach, Bobby Maze, to gauge the athletic wing’s potential interest. This is all according to Kentucky Sports Radio.

Washington is a 6-9, 195-pound forward who originally committed to Alabama, but decommitted in November. Kentucky is now included among the likes of Tennessee, Oregon, Oklahoma State, USC, and SMU that are interested in Washington.

“It’s a good program,” Washington said of Kentucky while adding, “Honestly, I just want to go where I’m wanted — and the play style. I got to go where I fit in and where the coaches really want me. (My recruitment is) open. Whenever the time is right.”

Only four players ranked ahead of him remain available in 2026, including No. 1 Tyran Stokes. That tells you just how big of a prospect Washington will be in the spring signing period.

Kentucky has swung and missed in recruiting a lot recently. But there is still time to get things moving in the right direction this spring on both the high school front and in the transfer portal.

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Kentucky

Kentucky man arrested after police said he was riding horse while intoxicated

Published

16 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky man arrested after police said he was riding horse while intoxicated

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WKRC) — A Kentucky man was arrested Thursday after police said he was riding a horse while intoxicated, reports WBKO.

Bowling Green police said they found 48-year-old Jorge Luis Hernandez on a horse, partially slumped over, as it walked along a road. He and the horse then began traveling on a sidewalk, according to an arrest record.

Police said Hernandez had a “strong odor of alcoholic beverage” and had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and delayed movements. Hernandez said he had just left the liquor store and had a liquor store bag tied to the horse’s saddle.

Hernandez was arrested and charged with operating a non-motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicants.

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Kentucky

Kentucky Newsmakers 3/29: Senate Candidate Charles Booker; Kentucky League of Cities Pres. Mayor Paul Sandefur

Published

2 days ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky Newsmakers 3/29: Senate Candidate Charles Booker; Kentucky League of Cities Pres. Mayor Paul Sandefur

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – On the latest edition of Kentucky Newsmakers, WKYT’s Bill Bryant talks with Kentucky Senate candidate Charles Booker and Beaver Dam Mayor and Kentucky League of Cities President Paul Sandefur.

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