How One Pennsylvania Teen Found Inspiration in Her Own Backyard
The spotted lanternfly, an invasive species native to Asia, is estimated to cost southern Pennsylvania $50 million a year in damage as it infests local maple trees. A 14 year-old inventor has created one potential solution which she tested in her own backyard.
Using simple materials of garden netting and aluminum foil, Rachel Bergey has invented an eco-friendly trap that catches the lanternfly without causing problems for native insects. Her invention won her the 2019 Broadcom MASTERS Lemelson Prize for Invention and helped protect the maple trees on her family’s farm.
In the latest Invention Notebook article, Rachel talks about her invention process and what inspired her to be a problem solver.
Read the article here and be sure to give it a clap.