The Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive pest that originated in China’s 12th century.
Since its establishment in the United States, this pest has spread to other countries.
The Spotted Lanternfly feeds on a variety of plants, including:
- fruit trees
- vegetables
- hardwood trees.
So how do we identify the Spotted Lanternfly? The adults display pink wings with black spots. If you see them flying, you’ll notice their red underwings.
Both the male and female have yellow abdomens with black stripes. After mating, the female’s abdomen becomes swollen, which makes it a burden for the insect to even fly!
Another way to identify the Spotted Lanternfly is by identifying their egg masses. The egg masses appear muddy, and are approximately an inch to 1.5 inches. Each mass can contain 30 to 50 eggs organized in vertical columns of at least five eggs.
Usually, the eggs go dormant between March and June, depending on when the eggs were laid.
They can withstand cold temperatures, and can survive sub-zero temperatures.
The nymphs that hatch from the eggs are referred to instars and they are approximately ¼ inches to ½ inches, which can make them easily confused for a tick for example.
Where Can You Spot the Spotted Lanternfly?
Here are some of the highly susceptible plants to Spotted Lanternfly infestations.
Tree of Heaven
People generally accept the notion that the Tree of Heaven suffered the first attacks by the Spotted Lanternfly.
This makes sense because it is native to China, it was brought to the United States during the Gold Rush.
Because it is so adaptable it can grow in just about any climate.
The issue is that it grows to around 100 feet tall, so is difficult to remove without a professional.
Ornamental and Timber Trees
Some species that host the Spotted Lanternfly include:
- black birch
- black cherry
- maple
- oak
- paper birch
- tulip poplar
- willow
- white ash, etc.
Arborists and forestry professionals are worried about how quickly these pests can spread, and how they may impact these important tree species in our communities and elsewhere.
Besides giving the trees lost value, they also cause deforestation and contribute to climate change.
It’s also worth mentioning that Spotted Lanternflies usually don’t do fatal harm to trees that are grown for ornamental use and shade trees.
Fruit Trees and Vines
The Spotted Lanternfly is also known to feed on fruit trees, including apple, apricot, cherry, peach, and plum.
Even if they do not eat the fruit, they do damage to the plant and reduce yield.
What Are the Symptoms of Spotted Lanternfly Infestation?
A tree that has been infested by Spotted Lanternflies will have ‘wounds’ at the places where the tree has been affected.
These wounds will ooze and leave behind a characteristic black or grey trail on the bark of the plant.
Spotted Lanternflies are also known to attack plants in masses, which is why the leaves of plants tend to wilt, because they are sucking copious amounts of sap during that time.
Eventually, branches begin to die back, and unless the plant is well established, the plant may die.
In short, these insects can’t digest all the sugary substance in the sap, so they excrete a sizeable component of it in the form of a sugary honeydew.
Once the honeydew is formed from the insect secretions, it will coat the leaves and stems but can be so excessive that it may actually drip to the ground around the plant.
Honeydew is a problem for plants as it will attract ants, hornets, and yellowjackets.
Not only can these insects become an inconvenience, but they may also make the tree or tree habitat inaccessible, particularly hornets.
So the honeydew can pose an issue, but honeydew also facilitates the growth of sooty mold.
Sooty mold can infect many fruit trees, reducing their yield, delaying the ripening of fruit, and negatively affecting their ability to endure low temperatures.
Once the sooty mold grows sufficiently dense, it will block sunlight and inhibit photosynthesis.
Honeydew is a constant threat to trees and can facilitate the growth of sooty mold which will:
- infect grapes and other fruits,
- reduce their yields,
- hinder the ripening process,
- and decrease tolerable cold-weather conditions.
How Do I Treat Spotted Lanternflies?
If you spot Spotted Lanternflies in your garden, here are some methods you can use to eradicate them.
Destroy the Eggs
To effectively remove Spotted Lanternflies, the first step is to destroy their eggs.
When you see the egg masses, scrape them into a soap water and rubbing alcohol solution, or use your hand sanitizer.
Or you can just burn or smash them.
Make sure none of the eggs go into your compost pile, as they will hatch whenever conditions are right.
Always a Good Idea: If the eggs are too high on the tree, call an arborist for help.
Remove Trees of Heaven and Other Preferred Hosts
When you find and destroy the eggs, you will now want to remove the host plants.
As previously mentioned, the Tree of Heaven is their prime habitat – treating as much as you can is a solid preventative measure.
To remove the Spotted Lanternfly from smaller trees, foliar herbicides must be used, such as glyphosate or triclopyr amine.
Larger trees may need to be treated as a bark application, where you can either cut into the bark or spray from the base of the tree, to a height of 18 inches.
You must wait to uproot the trees until at least four weeks after treating with the herbicide.
This is due to their ability to re-sprout from the stumps and root fragments.
Usually, it takes multiple applications to kill the tree and the new growth.
If Possible: Uproot the tree entirely, which will most likely require a professional due to the size of the tree.
Chemical Controls
It is possible to eradicate Spotted Lanternflies using different classes of insecticides.
They all function differently, but you should apply the insecticides to infected trees only.
If you treat your entire yard, you may kill beneficial insects.
The downside to insecticides is that the adult Spotted Lanternflies, which you are trying to eliminate, are typically most active when the trees begin to produce fruits, note that this time is not a good time to spray your trees.
Regardless, the following indicates some types of chemical controls for Spotted Lanternfly treatments.
Conventional Insecticides
Traditional insecticides inhibit the ongoing reproduction and spread of Spotted Lanternflies.
It’s ideal when combined with trapping and manually killing adults, nymphs, and egg masses.
Some of the insecticides available for you use include:
- Ovicides are insecticides that target and kill the eggs of pests. The best time to apply this is when the insects are laying eggs between February and April.
- Contact Insecticides are the most commonly used insecticides. When a pest comes into contact with this chemical either directly, or by crawling on its surface, it is killed immediately. For the best results, ensure that you are spraying contact insecticides evenly over the totally infested host plant.
- Systemic Insecticides are the reverse of contact insecticides. After spraying, systemic insecticides live in the host plant which allows the pest to die when it starts to feed on the host plant. You can also use systemic insecticides through bark injection. Systemic insecticides can provide effective coverage for long periods of time, reduced exposure due to the elements. They often are preferable for applications because they do not adversely affect beneficial insects.
- Hybrid insecticides combine contact and systemic measures of insecticides. Two options when applying hybrid insecticides include drenching the water with hybrid insecticides, in the soil, as a post irrigation measure, or by simply going to the five most infected areas on the plant and applying them directly. Caution, should also be exercised; when applying hybrid insecticides to avoid contamination of the ground as hybrid insecticides can be harmful.
Organic Insecticides
Most organic insecticides are applied just as contact insecticides.
While they are effective in killing Spotted Lanternflies, they have low residual activity.
Essentially, you will need to reapply them more often. An example of an organic insecticide would be natural pyrethrin.
Use Sticky Paper or Duct Tape
Wrap a few thin strips of sticky paper or duct tape around the base of the tree if you’ve got a significant Spotted Lanternfly problem.
If you don’t have sticky paper, you can even wrap duct tape inside out around the back.
The next step is to grab your garden hose or pressure washer, and spray the bugs with the water until they fall off of the tree. You can even use a leaf blower.
Once they fall off, the bugs will climb again to get back up the tree and that’s where the sticky paper or duct tape comes into play.
Once they get to the sticky side, it will be a good, simple way to kill them once you unwrap your sticky paper or duct tape.
Keep in mind that you need to be careful about how you use the sticky paper and duct tape.
You should probably cut very thin strips, no more than two inches, so you do not cause any harm to wildlife, and they should always be four or more inches above the ground level.
Plant More Milkweed
Are you aware that the Spotted Lanternfly enjoys feeding on milkweed?
These pests do not realize that the plant is poisonous and can kill them.
When the flies eat the sap, they become less active and slow down, making it easier to catch and crush them.
Even Better: While you are planting milkweed to help control the Spotted Lanternfly, you’ll be providing habitat for the endangered Monarch butterfly, an important species of pollinator.
Why Should You Avoid Home Remedies?
In today’s digital world, people will go to the internet for quick solutions, and the Spotted Lanternfly is no exception.
I believe this is great for getting an idea of what is bothering your plants, but experts will often warn against trying home remedies to solve your problem.
Common treatments include:
- boric acid
- chili
- dish soap
- garlic
- salt
- vegetable oils
- and vinegar
Which can be dangerous without even realizing it.
For example, the foaming agents, solvents, and surfactants in dish soap could jeopardize your plants’ health.
Chili, meanwhile, could irritate your skin and potentially your eyes.
Be cautious, because Boric acid is extremely toxic: long-term or constant exposure could harm or even kill animals and people.
Wrapping Up
Having Spotted Lanternflies on your plants is ugly and causing a lot of damage, but on the positive side they are very easy to spot and control.
First, once you find the pests, you will want to destroy their egg masses.
Secondly, after destroying the egg masses, spray insecticides to kill the nymphs and adults. If you see a lot of them, it might be better to dig the tree up.
Thirdly, home remedies are unproven, might cause you harm, and will also cause your plans harm, so avoid using these at all costs.