Spotted lanternflies are an invasive pest that originated in Asia. Unfortunately, they are out of control in Yardley and throughout Pennsylvania resulting in a constant battle for farmers and gardeners.
Experts advise people to kill spotted lanternflies whenever these pests are seen. However, if you find that your yard is overrun with these intruders, then the wisest thing you can do is call a licensed pest management professional. With their knowledge and equipment, they can eradicate the infestation, protect your trees and plants and make it possible for your family to continue enjoying the outdoors.
HOW TO IDENTIFY SPOTTED LANTERNFLIES
The colorful and distinctive spotted lanternfly is easy to identify. If you think you see one or more of these destructive insects on your property, then call a professional exterminator without delay.
• WHAT DO SPOTTED LANTERNFLIES LOOK LIKE?
An adult spotted lanternfly at rest measures approximately one-half inch wide by one inch long. They are equipped with forewings that are gray with black spots, though the tips of these wings are outlined in gray and have reticulated black spots. On the hind wings, the spotted lanternfly has distinctive patches of black and red with a white band in the middle. While the head and legs are black, the abdomen is yellow and has several black bands.
SIGNS OF SPOTTED LANTERNFLIES
Home and business owners who see any indications that spotted lanternflies are in the area are encouraged to contact a trusted exterminator. Where one of these pests is found, more are certain to be lurking, making quick action critical.
• WHERE ARE SPOTTED LANTERNFLIES FOUND?
This invasive species originated in Vietnam, Taiwan and Southern China, but has spread to the U.S., South Korea and Japan. When in one of its native locations, spotted lanternfly females are most likely to lay their eggs on a tree of heaven. Because this tree has been introduced in the U.S., this is a likely nesting site here too.
However, because there are not as many trees of heaven here as there are in Asia, the spotted lanternfly has been forced to adapt. Accordingly, eggs may be found on any smooth vertical surface, including stones and trees. Items made by people such as cars, outdoor furniture or lawn equipment also may serve as a location on which an egg mass may be laid.
Adult spotted lanternflies may be found feeding on tree branches or trunks from which they collect sap. When many insects feed on the same plant, it can cause obvious, extensive damage, up to and including the death of the tree or plant.
• WHERE DO LANTERNFLIES NEST?
Spotted lanternflies prefer to lay their eggs on a tree of heaven, which also is a preferred food source. If a tree of heaven is not available, then an egg mass may be laid on almost any flat, vertical surface. From September through December, it may be easy to find masses of spotted lanternfly eggs on trees such as all varieties of fruit-bearing trees, birch, aspen, beech, linden, pine, black gum, black walnut and various others.
• WHERE DO LANTERNFLIES GO AT NIGHT?
You are most likely to find spotted lanternflies attached to a tree trunk at night. They may be moving up and down the trunk as they feed. If they are still, this indicates that they may be sleeping.
ARE SPOTTED LANTERNFLIES DANGEROUS?
Spotted lanternflies are bad news for trees and plants across the state. This is because they suck sap from trees and other plants using their proboscis, which they insert into tiny, existing holes in the trunk. Young or stressed trees are particularly vulnerable, and may be easy for this species to kill.
• WHY ARE SPOTTED LANTERNFLIES BAD?
Any crops, vines or trees are at risk when spotted lanternflies make an appearance. These pests cause leaves to wilt and curl and also are responsible for oozing sap and dieback in trees and plants. Moreover, spotted lanternflies are known to secrete honeydew. This is a sweet substance that many insects eat, but when it is present in too great of quantities, it causes black sooty mold to grow on plants.
Effectively, on properties where spotted lanternflies are present, people will find that their ability to enjoy outdoor spaces is severely curtailed. Hundreds of these bugs may fly in a swarm and completely cover full-grown trees. Because the honeydew that they secrete can coat outdoor surfaces like decks and playground equipment, they can cause a slip and fall hazard.
• WHY DO LANTERNFLIES JUMP ON YOU?
While the spotted lanternfly is equipped with forewings and hind wings, they are not very good at flying. Instead, they rely on hopping from one host plant to another. This means that they may inadvertently jump onto people in their quest for a new host.
• ARE LANTERNFLIES HARMFUL TO HUMANS?
This species is not directly harmful to humans in that they do not cause sickness, nor do they sting or bite. Nonetheless, spotted lanternflies are enormously damaging to orchards and agricultural crops as well as forests and gardens.
PROBLEMS WITH SPOTTED LANTERNFLIES
Even if they do not attack people, spotted lanternflies deserve to be excluded from Yardley and our state gardens, orchards and farm fields because of the damage that they cause.
• WHAT DO LANTERNFLIES DO?
Nymphs and adults of the species feed on a wide variety of trees and plants. They are especially drawn to grapes and hops but also will feed on all sorts of fruit-bearing trees and other trees and plants from which they can suck sap.
Females lay their eggs in the fall, leaving them in masses of 30 to 50. Each female can lay between two and three egg masses in her one-year lifetime. Adults die in the winter, but the eggs eventually hatch and go through several stages before becoming adults. At each stage, the nymphs feed on trees and plants. When they are mature, they will mate, lay eggs and begin the entire cycle again.
• WHY ARE LANTERNFLIES BAD?
For one thing, the spotted lanternfly leaves behind a waste product called honeydew. Honeydew attracts numerous other pests because it is a food source. At the same time, it attracts a certain type of mold that weakens and kills the tree or plant. Additionally, the spotted lanternfly feeding on the sap further is damaging to the plant.
WHY ARE SPOTTED LANTERNFLIES HARD TO TREAT?
Scientists are still learning about this invasive species, which means that the best options for DIY control can be difficult to pin down. This is one of the reasons why it's best to have a professional handle the job for you.
• DOES VINEGAR KILL SPOTTED LANTERNFLIES?
Some people have discovered that vinegar can effectively kill lanternflies. Recipes containing combinations of vinegar, rubbing alcohol, dish soap and water can be found online. While vinegar appears to be somewhat worthwhile, the reality is that when spotted lanternflies invade by the hundreds, it can be extremely difficult for one person without professional equipment to successfully treat them all.
• HOW TO GET RID OF LANTERNFLIES
All sorts of options are available, ranging from smashing individual bugs, sucking them up with a shop vac or trapping them on a tree using duct tape. However, your best option for genuinely getting rid of these bugs is to call an exterminator. It's the most comprehensive solution, and it comes with a guarantee.
• IS THERE A SPRAY FOR LANTERNFLIES?
You can make your own spray using vinegar and other ingredients, or you may try an insect spray that can be picked up at the local home improvement store. However, you may soon discover that such treatments are of only dubious effectiveness, and they can be difficult to deploy. With their access to more powerful treatments, an exterminator is better able to handle the situation.
PREVENTION TIPS FOR SPOTTED LANTERNFLIES
If you want to keep spotted lanternflies away from your house, there are a few things you can do. Scheduling regular pest control treatments is probably the easiest, most successful way to ensure that your trees and plants are not destroyed by these invasive bugs.
• WHAT ATTRACTS THE LANTERNFLY?
It can be difficult to precisely pin down what it is about your yard that attracts spotted lanternflies since this species is now known to feed on approximately 65 different tree and plant species in the U.S. This means that you probably have something in your yard that may draw in these invaders.
It also is possible that an egg mass will arrive in your yard via a delivery of almost anything. Before getting rid of cardboard boxes, crates or other packing materials, inspect them for signs of an egg mass so that it can be destroyed.
• HOW TO PREVENT LANTERNFLIES
If you discover an egg mass anywhere on your property, then scrape it away and destroy it. Similarly, if you will be spending time in a quarantine zone, be certain to examine your car and any items, like a barbecue grill, on which egg masses or adult spotted lanternflies may be clinging. Tree traps can be effective for catching nymphs, and if you have known host plants, consider removing them.
• HOW TO KEEP LANTERNFLIES AWAY
While you may scrape away egg masses and spray individual adults, true control can only be achieved with the assistance of a professional exterminator. Thanks to their powerful control techniques, knowledge of spotted lanternfly biology and ability to control other pest species, these pest control technicians can keep spotted lanternflies away.
