As spotted lanternflies make their way across the country, leaving destroyed crops and trees in their wake, there are two more things you can do to help prevent their spread.
Scrape Away and Destroy Eggs on Trees and Other Surfaces
A single female spotted lanternfly can lay up to two egg masses that each contain 20 to 30 eggs. The masses are about an inch long and ¾ of an inch wide and, when new, resemble waxy, grey smears of cement. As the masses age their surfaces may appear scaly and beige. Lanternflies start laying eggs in September, according to entomologists, and the eggs remain dormant over the winter before hatching in the spring.
Spotted lanternflies will lay eggs on nearly any surface, including trees, vehicles, outdoor furniture, propane tanks, pallets, and other items that are stored outdoors.
If you spot a spotted lanternfly egg mass authorities suggest that you scrape it off of its host surface into a plastic bag, and place it into the trash. Entomologists advise citizens not to use pesticides to combat adult spotted lanternflies, or their egg masses.
Remove Your Tree of Heaven
Tree of heaven is the spotted lanternfly’s favorite tree on which to feast and lay its eggs, according to entomologists at the University of Florida. This tree has been documented in Florida as far south as Hillsborough County. Other potential host plants, like chinaberry and Virginia creeper, may help this invasive pest spread throughout The Sunshine State.
If you have tree of heaven on your property, authorities suggest removing it.
Effects of Spotted Lanternflies
On trees and plants
According to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, spotted lanternflies prey on 70 different species of trees and plants, and they’re especially detrimental to economically-important fruit crops, including orchards and grape vineyards.
The bugs swarm hardwood trees and vines and siphon their sap, which can stunt leaf growth in the spring and kill the tree. When lanternflies feed they also coat tree and plant leaves with a sticky residue called honeydew, which can cause the growth of black sooty mold and block sunlight needed for photosynthesis, growth, and fruit production, according to environmental conservationists.
On communities
When swarms of lanternflies are overhead in trees the heavy amounts of honeydew they secrete can coat outdoor items like patio furniture, grills, and other objects. In Pennsylvania, where lanternfly populations are most dense, residents complained of getting honeydew on their hair and clothes, according to a report in mid-September from CBS News. Honeydew also attracts other insects, which can hamper outdoor activities.
