OT: Spotted Lanternfly Control

[PS4814]

Wondering what others have done, or are planning to do, this year to deal with the insect. I live in the Lehigh Valley, basically right next to ground zero as far as the spotted lanternfly's origin in the US, and last year was a nightmare. They were climbing all over the side of our house, patio, and walking through the yard would result in many flying either away from you or landing on you. I could stomp (or attempt at least) a dozen on my way to and from getting the mail and the spiders definitely ate well.

I've read through what the PSU Ag Extension Office has put out and have had a local tree expert come out to confirm that we have no trees of heaven on our property, but we do have numerous mature black walnut trees which have been known to host the little buggers. My plan of attack this year is wrapping sticky bands around the walnut tree trunks and touching base with my lawn care folks to see if they have any pesticide treatments - though it may already be too late for those.

 

[MJG-90]

https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plan...omology/spotted_lanternfly/Pages/default.aspx

 

[PSUAlum]

I opened this expecting this to be about companies with work vehicles that leave the Lehigh Valley area have to take a test about the spotted lanternfly. I guess Lehigh and Northampton counties were added to the quarantine list within the last year or this is a new step to requiring permits in PA, NJ, and Delaware.

 

[sss]

Some pesticides do work. I used them last year on some of my larger plants that had them on, and after spraying saw no more. Some died instantly when sprayed, others it took a little while, but no more bugs on the plants within 24 h. They do seem to also like walnut and hickory trees. I used a flyswatter and killed hundreds last year in the spring when they were still at the black spotted stage. Easier to get at this point. Curious to see how many come back this year in our area (western Montogomery County). Last year was the first we saw of them on our property.

 

[The Spin Meister]

https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plan...omology/spotted_lanternfly/Pages/default.aspx

Good info. I knew of the SLF invasion but had no idea that the density was so high. Seems that widespread invasion is inevitable which is terrible. This bug is very damaging.

 

[heckmans]

Wondering what others have done, or are planning to do, this year to deal with the insect. I live in the Lehigh Valley, basically right next to ground zero as far as the spotted lanternfly's origin in the US, and last year was a nightmare. They were climbing all over the side of our house, patio, and walking through the yard would result in many flying either away from you or landing on you. I could stomp (or attempt at least) a dozen on my way to and from getting the mail and the spiders definitely ate well.

I've read through what the PSU Ag Extension Office has put out and have had a local tree expert come out to confirm that we have no trees of heaven on our property, but we do have numerous mature black walnut trees which have been known to host the little buggers. My plan of attack this year is wrapping sticky bands around the walnut tree trunks and touching base with my lawn care folks to see if they have any pesticide treatments - though it may already be too late for those.

I don't have them handy, but I remember reading that the best course of action is look for their eggs on the trees and destroy them before they hatch. I realize that is only a limiting factor, but important nonetheless.

Also for what it's worth, here is an article about a potential control method. Hopefully this is confirmed ASAP and a control plan can be implemented by USDA APHIS, local municipalities, or individual citizens.

https://fruitgrowersnews.com/news/s...FDE4WQoulDy7EH3wEECOCKsbfiqUavOyrD0AEEtQNS2yQ

 

[PS4814]

I used a flyswatter and killed hundreds last year in the spring when they were still at the black spotted stage. Easier to get at this point. Curious to see how many come back this year in our area (western Montogomery County). Last year was the first we saw of them on our property.

Curious where you spotted them when they were in the black spotted stage afa house/driveway/window/trees etc.?

 

[The Spin Meister]

If the tree of heaven is their heavy favorite, use that against them. Plant these trees all around, keep them trimmed small enough to work with. The SLF will be attracted to those trees, keep them away from other trees, and be easier to kill.

 

[wilbury]

Wondering what others have done, or are planning to do, this year to deal with the insect. I live in the Lehigh Valley, basically right next to ground zero as far as the spotted lanternfly's origin in the US, and last year was a nightmare. They were climbing all over the side of our house, patio, and walking through the yard would result in many flying either away from you or landing on you. I could stomp (or attempt at least) a dozen on my way to and from getting the mail and the spiders definitely ate well.

I've read through what the PSU Ag Extension Office has put out and have had a local tree expert come out to confirm that we have no trees of heaven on our property, but we do have numerous mature black walnut trees which have been known to host the little buggers. My plan of attack this year is wrapping sticky bands around the walnut tree trunks and touching base with my lawn care folks to see if they have any pesticide treatments - though it may already be too late for those.

Be careful with the sticky pads. They tend to trap and kill birds.

 

[4INSBU]

Seven spray works well. Buy at Home Depot for example. I heard their May be an injection that can go into the tree. Not sure how it works

This will be the 3rd season I will have to deal with the pests. I have yet to see any actual damage to trees or bushes. I have multiple Maples and Birch trees.

 

[ForesterGump]

I'm not real familiar with the spotted lantern fly. I am familiar with the Gypsy moth infestation we had 40 yrs ago. Those sticky strips work best on caterpillars that go up the trees to feed. For egg masses, with Gypsy moth, we were told that we might see about 10% of the total. Egg masses were also hidden in rock crevices, under fallen limbs and even behind the bark of dead trees. Eventually, Gypsy moth ate itself out of feed and populations collapsed. The state also developed parasitic wasps. Now there are only isolated outbreaks of gypsy moth. But, back in the '70s we thought it was the end of our oak forests.

As for tree of heaven, it is a highly invasive species. They are next to impossible to kill. You can cut them down, and they get stump sprouts. They also will get root sprouts. You'll see them in abandoned fields, along roadsides and other areas where land use has changed. Prolific seed source. When I was a kid, we called them sumac. They're not a sumac, but have similar leaves. So do walnut and hickory.

I remember all the other introduced species that were supposed to bring down the ag and wood industry. Gypsy moth, stink bugs, Mediterranean fruit flies all come to mind. We even had an episode of lady bugs a few years back. From my observations, these populations eventually collapse. Right now, the emerald ash borer is raising more havoc than the lantern fly.

There are pesticides that you can inject into the trees. You can buy them on Ebay and the system is the Mauget system. You drill a small hole about an inch into the wood. You put the Mauget system into the hole and allow the tree to take it up. There are different types of pesticides that they use. Typical costs are about $125-150 for 24 doses. They also have fertilizers you can use with the same technology. Upside is that it is a more localized dose which means less pesticide use, and less that is spilled into the environment. They say it works well on the emerald ash borer as well as other bugs. Looks like a good system.

 

[sss]

Curious where you spotted them when they were in the black spotted stage afa house/driveway/window/trees etc.?

In my back yard. On my shed, some plants, and walnut trees. Also on my patio. Interestingly, never in front of my house. We will see this year....
The Sevin spray from Home Depot is what I used. It worked for the plants. For trees, they sell a product that you spread into the soil around the trees of concern, and the tree takes it up an it contains an insecticide that kills the bugs. I have seen the tape plenty, and it seems to work pretty well, as these suckers climb up and down the trees.

 

[PS4814]

In my back yard. On my shed, some plants, and walnut trees. Also on my patio. Interestingly, never in front of my house. We will see this year....
The Sevin spray from Home Depot is what I used. It worked for the plants. For trees, they sell a product that you spread into the soil around the trees of concern, and the tree takes it up an it contains an insecticide that kills the bugs. I have seen the tape plenty, and it seems to work pretty well, as these suckers climb up and down the trees.

Thanks! I’ll have to look closer then because thus far I haven’t seen anything, but as I said I had a yard full of them last year so they gotta be around somewhere. I’ll also look into the Seven spray based on the multiple recommendations.

 

[sss]

Thanks! I’ll have to look closer then because thus far I haven’t seen anything, but as I said I had a yard full of them last year so they gotta be around somewhere. I’ll also look into the Seven spray based on the multiple recommendations.

I remember seeing the black spotted ones over Fathers Day weekend in force last year. As I said that was the first time I had ever seen them on my property. Nothing so far this year. I'm sure they are coming. Good luck.

 

[83wuzme]

America spends many billions of dollars every year, often in complete futility, trying to manage invasive species. We are repeatedly told that efforts to prevent introduction are “ too expensive “. The more I see, the more I doubt that claim.

 

[LionsandBear]

https://www.readingeagle.com/news/a...-2-fungi-killed-spotted-lanternflies-in-berks

A common PA Fungus may be our savior in the fight against this invasive pest.

 

[The Spin Meister]

https://www.readingeagle.com/news/a...-2-fungi-killed-spotted-lanternflies-in-berks

A common PA Fungus may be our savior in the fight against this invasive pest.

---
Wow great news. I did a search of beauvia bassiana, one of the fungi mentioned in article, and found it is for sale for other insecticidal uses. There are a lot of companies that sell it already bt so far SLF is not listed. But one would be free to try it and see if it works. Here is one from planetnatural.com There were many others you could try.

If you try, it please post your results. Lets us know which one(s) you tried and how effective they were. If this works it would be great for all of us.

 

[MJG-90]

I've seen several of these recently. They are quick. I haven't had any luck killing them. Anyone have any techniques that have worked?

 

[bac75]

I've seen several of these recently. They are quick. I haven't had any luck killing them. Anyone have any techniques that have worked?

Stepping on them from the front works. Have seen many people use a fly swatter when they're on trees. Good luck!

 

[bmw199]

We had a guy spray around our house and landscaping. Killed a good number. Where I work in Center City (19th and Market) is littered with the dead bugs. They must have sprayed or done something in the city.

 

[RWCStateFan]

I've seen several of these recently. They are quick. I haven't had any luck killing them. Anyone have any techniques that have worked?

Swat at them from their front side - they can only jump forward. The first jump is pretty strong - 6 to 8 feet; the second is much shorter; the third, meh. They are fragile making them easy to kill if you can swat them down. Don't fly very well. I'm using sticky fly catching tape around the trunk of a maple they seem to like. I've probably caught 2 dozen on that and killed twice that by swatting them off of the trunk and branches.

 

[LionsandBear]

I've seen several of these recently. They are quick. I haven't had any luck killing them. Anyone have any techniques that have worked?

Go to Lowes and get some sticky tape for your trees and poles. They love to climb so you'll trap tons of them. Also, theres a formula of dish detergent and water out there on the internet. If you spray them with this concoction it'll suffocate and kill them.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

We had a guy spray around our house and landscaping. Killed a good number. Where I work in Center City (19th and Market) is littered with the dead bugs. They must have sprayed or done something in the city.

Dead ones are everywhere, especially in the patio around the back of the building. Turns out they sprayed last week and now it’s like an SLF morgue.

 

[Harrisburg Dave]

I have not seen many of these around here, but I walked over an army of them in a Bethlehem garage.

 

[lionville]

I've been burning the ba$stards alive. They've been coming down my chimney and parking on the fireplace screen. Take a fire starter to them and fry their a$$e$.

 

[TheGLOV]

I've been burning the ba$stards alive. They've been coming down my chimney and parking on the fireplace screen. Take a fire starter to them and fry their a$$e$.

Rage Master of the Fire Gods!!

 

[MJG-90]

Swat at them from their front side - they can only jump forward. The first jump is pretty strong - 6 to 8 feet; the second is much shorter; the third, meh.

Okay. Got it. I was sneak attacking from the rear assuming they would see me from the front.

 

[lions15psu]

A girl in middle school from Harleysville was selected to present at the National Science Competition for a lanternfly trap she invented:

https://kywnewsradio.radio.com/articles/news/harleysville-teen-invents-spotted-lanternfly-trap

 

[paulrandythomas]

Crossbow.

 

[gamblepsu]

South Lebanon Twp.

Killed 70 of them over the weekend. They like my red maples. No other bug hits them except for these guys.

They excrete this sticky substance (like sap) that gets everywhere on the tree and attracts the bees. The leaves have taken a serious hit as well. I guess the little lady bug like beetles that are one of the first stages eats them.

 

[The Spin Meister]

https://www.readingeagle.com/news/a...-2-fungi-killed-spotted-lanternflies-in-berks

A common PA Fungus may be our savior in the fight against this invasive pest.

There was an article in the PA Game News this summer with a bit more detail than this one. The bacteria are naturally occurring so that is good as it not going to go rampant and destroy a lot of beneficials.


Seems they are making progress on stopping this pest.

 

[Choochburg]

Go here:

https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly

On that site, you'll find tons of info, including this:

https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly-management-for-homeowners

More info on the promise of fungal biopesticides:

https://news.psu.edu/story/584228/2...c-control-spotted-lanternfly-focus-study-penn

 

[LionsandBear]

I'm in Berks which is Ground Zero for these pests. Although they're still around everywhere, they're not as abundant this year as they were the past 2 years.

 

[schoolie]

Wondering what others have done, or are planning to do, this year to deal with the insect. I live in the Lehigh Valley, basically right next to ground zero as far as the spotted lanternfly's origin in the US, and last year was a nightmare. They were climbing all over the side of our house, patio, and walking through the yard would result in many flying either away from you or landing on you. I could stomp (or attempt at least) a dozen on my way to and from getting the mail and the spiders definitely ate well.

I've read through what the PSU Ag Extension Office has put out and have had a local tree expert come out to confirm that we have no trees of heaven on our property, but we do have numerous mature black walnut trees which have been known to host the little buggers. My plan of attack this year is wrapping sticky bands around the walnut tree trunks and touching base with my lawn care folks to see if they have any pesticide treatments - though it may already be too late for those.

I have a friend who lives just outside Bethlehem who uses a power vac to suck them off Tree of Heaven. He claims to have gotten four canisters full so far. I was on the D&L Trail a couple of weeks ago doing volunteer trail maintenance and they were on every Tree of Heaven I could see, especially the younger trees which I reasoned had softer bark they could chew. Quite the problem.

 

[odshowtime]

Kill em all.

 

[schoolie]

I'm in Berks which is Ground Zero for these pests. Although they're still around everywhere, they're not as abundant this year as they were the past 2 years.

looks like they've moved east

 

[83wuzme]

My sister’s place near Allentown was overrun with them. She had Japanese Snowbells, which they liked.. The bad thing is they lay eggs on cars, boats and firewood and get transported all over the state.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[LionsandBear]

I want a spray that will kill the Lanternfly in and out of their nests. If we could get that, we could crush this pest. They are enemy #1 here in Berks.

 

[Will68]

They should use some of the $7.3 million at Berks campus. Picked up my grandson at the campus a couple weeks ago. The Lantern flies were on everything.