The spotted lanternfly is a new invasive pest to the United States. It was first found in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has been slowly expanding its range ever since. The insect feeds on plants, including grapes, apples, stone fruits, conifers, and hardwood trees.
It also causes damage to property by feeding on building facades and outdoor furniture. Although this insect does not bite humans or pets, it can still be quite annoying! This blog post will give you an overview of how to treat them if they show up at your home or business.
1. Capture them in a Bottle
Dealing with spotted lanternflies can be tricky, but it’s best to catch them early. Using a bottle (glass works best) trap is one of the most effective ways to deal with this pest before they become more prevalent and potentially damages your property or fruit trees.
This method uses food as bait because spotted lanternflies are attracted to fermenting sugars in fruits like apples, pears, grapes, and berries, making for an easy DIY project at home!
To capture flying adults
Securely cover your chosen container with something that won’t let any light escape. Coat the bottom inside surface of the covering material with cooking oil so insects will stick when landing on it.
Place small pieces of ripe fruit inside the container through the open top & wait by your lanternfly trap every night until you capture them!
To catch crawling nymphs
Securely cover your chosen container with something that won’t let any light escape. Coat the bottom inside surface of the covering material w/ cooking oil so insects will stick when landing on it.
Fill in gaps around and between fruit tree branches by stuffing leaves, grasses, or other plant matter to form a “wall” at least 12 inches high & wide around and 20 feet out from all sides of each tree trunk (or groupings). This is where spotted lanternflies prefer to hang out during their juvenile stages.
If using glass bottles for trapping, they should be thoroughly cleaned before use.
2. Get a Professional Pest Extractor
If using trap bottles seems tiring or you cannot get rid of the insects completely, it might be time for a professional pest extractor. They have all the equipment necessary to properly remove pests from your home and dispose of them in an eco-friendly manner.
If you decide on hiring one, make sure that they are experienced with dealing with Spotted Lanternflies. By getting a professional, you are sure that they can efficiently deal with spotted lanternfly eggs if needed.
The professional you hire should be well placed to spot the eggs and to know how best to eliminate and recycle them. This means that you are likely to spend less money in the long term.
3. Scrape off the Bugs
Another proven method of killing lanternflies is to scrape them off. This can be done by hand or with a scraper, and it’s essential not to use your hands since the sap might harm you. It’s also vital that no part of their bodies are left on the trees because they will grow back after being scraped off, which will irritate anyone touching them later.
4. Set Some Traps
Although using bottles as a trap is a great way to go, trapping spotted lanternflies is another option that can be done. Using traps allows you to control where they are going and how many bugs get into your yard or house.
Traps for lanternflies need simple materials such as syrup, beer, fruit juice, etc., but the problem is that spotted lanternflies do not like a lot of sweet or sugary items.
Proper trap placement is essential when trying to capture these pesky pests. It’s best to put them in areas where you have seen the most infestations, such as under trees that they are feeding on.
Once caught, use some rubbing alcohol or peroxide with water into a spray bottle and go over the bugs for easy disposal.
5. Treat the Trees
Another effective method of controlling Spotted Lanternflies is to treat the trees in your yard.
You can do this by spraying them with a pesticide specifically created for insects, such as neem oil. This kills any spotted lanternflies that are still on the tree when sprayed, but it does not prevent future generations from flying in and landing after it has dried, so be sure to reapply every few weeks until all eggs have hatched.
Some homeowners choose instead to inject pesticides into their trees using an insecticide injection kit. Although this requires hiring a professional exterminator, it may prove necessary if getting rid of these pests proves too difficult or costly otherwise.
6. Scrape off the Eggs
It’s essential to scrape off spotted lanternfly eggs before they hatch. Adults have a firm grip, so using your fingernails or something similar to remove the egg may be necessary. Eggs are laid on smooth surfaces and usually in groups of three, each attached side-by-side vertically to form a row.
Use a plastic card or stiff paper to scrape them into your hand and then discard them in an outdoor trash can that has been sealed shut with tape. This will prevent them from crawling out.
If they’re laid one by one or two at a time, you can leave those eggs alone since the nymphs won’t cause too much damage by themselves yet. However, if there are more than three together, try to remove as many as possible so fewer lanternflies hatch later this year.
7. Use a Shop Vac
It’s also a great idea to vacuum up as much of the spotted lanternfly larvae and eggs as possible. This will not only minimize their population but can also prevent them from climbing back into your tree or bush.
If you don’t have a shop vac at home, consider asking one of your neighbors for assistance (or borrow theirs). If you cannot use a Shop-Vac on all parts of the infested plants or trees, make sure that you clean out any cracks in walkways – this is where most insects like to lay their eggs!
Dealing with spotted lanternflies can be a challenging task. There are many different possible solutions to combating these pesky pests, but finding the best way for your situation is crucial.
Spotted lanternfly populations have begun increasing in numbers, so now more than ever, it’s essential that you take proper precautions against their spread and destruction of crops if they appear on your property.
This blog post mentions tips to deal with spotted lanternflies properly, so hopefully, this information will help you out in your situation.
