Spotted lanternflies have become a familiar nuisance across Pennsylvania, and now several senators are pushing for more research to help stop them. WATCH HERE WATCH HEREThe bill would designate the spotted lanternfly as a high-priority research initiative for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Officials said spotted lanternflies were first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014, and since then they have spread throughout the state, with populations found in 51 counties. “Spotted lanternflies have ravaged crops that are critical to Pennsylvania’s economy including grapevines, apples, peaches, hops, and more,” Fetterman said in a news release. “By investing in research to combat spotted lanternflies, this bill will help protect our farms, strengthen our agricultural economy, and better control this invasive species.”