The spotted lanternfly was first discovered in the U.S. in 2014 in Pennsylvania.
It is a destructive insect, originally from Asia, that feeds on many different crops, landscapes, and fruit trees. It is currently found in 14 states and is spreading quickly.
There are options for spotted lanternfly management.
One way to kill them without using insecticides is to trap them. The immature lanternflies, called nymphs, are often blown out of tree canopies where they are feeding. Nymphs then walk to the trunk of trees and climb back up to start feeding again. You can take advantage of this predictable behavior by using traps to catch them as they climb up trees.
Recent research shows that a type of trap is both highly effective in capturing spotted lanternflies while reducing the capture of other creatures.
It is a tunnel that spotted lanternflies walk into. When they move upward in the trap, they end up in a dead-end collection container where they die. You can purchase this type of trap made specifically for spotted lanternflies from many commercial outlets.
Josie Choi, a Rye Country Day School student, learned how to make the traps following an online how-to from the Penn State University’s extension service.
“Building these traps is easy,” Choi said. “It is a good project for anyone who wants to destroy spotted lanternflies inexpensively by using materials they might already have on hand.”
Choi’s traps are already capturing thousands of spotted lanternflies in the Rye Nature Center.
The traps will be installed at Read Wildlife Sanctuary as well.
Traps will work best on trees with smooth bark. Bark with deep grooves may allow the spotted lanternfly nymphs to crawl underneath the trap. The traps work best to catch nymphs in spring and early summer.
You can use the trap on any infested tree.
Spotted lanternfly nymphs prefer Ailanthus altissima, commonly known as Tree of Heaven, an invasive weed tree from the insect’s native range in Asia. Tree of Heaven thrives in disturbed soil, such as along roadsides.
The hardiness of this tree has helped further the spread of spotted lanternflies because it is an aggressive grower and difficult to eradicate. Ailanthus is an invasive host and should be removed if found on your property.
The spotted lanternfly is found on trees such as almond, apple, cherry, walnut, maple, oak, ash, and willow. They are especially damaging to grapes and have been documented in large numbers in vineyards. The young nymph stages will feed on roses, perennials, vegetables, and herb plants, too.
Fortunately, spotted lanternflies don’t bite or sting, nor do they do not harm people or pets in any way. But they are a big, disgusting nuisance.
They excrete honeydew, a sweet, clear liquid waste that attracts ants, wasps, and bees and that can increase your risk for stings. The sticky film can end up covering everything in your yard and patio. It has a strong fermented odor and contributes to sooty mold buildup on grapes or tree fruits, which interferes with a plant’s ability to photosynthesize.
Another way to combat the spotted lanternfly is to plant milkweed, the miracle native plant that once again comes to our aid.
First, it is beneficial to monarch butterflies and other pollinators. It is not so beneficial to the lanternflies, however, as it contains a toxin that will make them sick and eventually die.
RIP or RIM (misery).