August 29, 2019
Molly's Irish Grille & Sports Pub/Facebook
Bethlehem bar Molly's Irish Grille & Sports Pub revealed the new Spotted Lanternfly Shot, which riffs on the invasive pest that has terrorized trees across Pennsylvania in recent years.
The relentless invasion of the spotted lanternfly in Pennsylvania has prompted millions of dollars in eradication efforts and left communities reeling from the insect's swarming presence.
It is going to be a long and gruesome war against the menace in our midst. Times like this call for a shot of something strong.
We can thank Molly's Irish Grille & Sports Pub in Bethlehem for delivering Pennsylvania what it needs.
This disgusting-looking treat contains XO cognac, Grenadine, whipped creme, sprinkles and candies. It's like a Halloween cupcake, only made of alcohol.
Molly's has invented shots in the past based on odd crazes and obsessions, including the viral Tide Pod Challenge and the Super Bowl-bound Philadelphia Eagles.
The spotted lanternfly, first seen in the United States in Pennsylvania back in 2014, has since spread across the Delaware Valley and beyond. New Jersey is getting to know them lately.
Apart from being a public nuisance, spotted lanternflies feed on a variety of trees, leaving wounds in their trunks that damage the trees and attract other pests.
In its efforts to beat back the spotted lanternfly, Pennsylvania has assigned more than 150 researchers to the problem and categorized one of its favorite meals, the Tree of Heaven, as a noxious plant.
The latest sign of hope to defeat it is the use of two native fungi that can be deployed with biopesticides targeting live spotted lanternflies and their nymphs. Early results from trials in Reading and Norristown have shown promise, reducing populations by about half.
If that fails to beat back the infestation, it may be high time to just hit them with the ingredients of the shot made at Molly's, or start drinking it regularly to cope with their encroachment into our lives.
