We’ve all heard of the Lanternflies that are slowly but surely infesting the whole DMV area. They are devastating our local ecosystem and unfortunately, they seem to be here to stay. There are some methods to mitigate and even get rid of these pesky pests from your own yard but before we get into that, let’s go over exactly what a lanternfly is and how destructive they are. It helps to know what your problem is before you fix it.
The Lycorma Delicatula (aka the spotted lanternfly) is an invasive planthopper that hails from parts of China and Vietnam. It was first here in the states in Pennsylvania back in 2014 and it’s been a problem ever since. The Lanternfly feeds on over 70 different local plants in the area which is their main source of destruction to our poor native ecosystems. They use their piercing-sucking mouthparts like a straw to drink the vital nutrients from the host plant. This negatively affects the amount and quality of fruit harvested. Their method of feeding also causes general stress to the plant and opens them up to disease which further affects the yield of crops in areas populated by Lanternflies. This isn’t the end of it though, Lanternflies also excrete a sugary substance called Honeydew that attracts ants, wasps, and other insects that can become a nuisance. Unfortunately, the Honeydew also facilitates the growth of black mold, which I am sure I don’t have to tell you is not a good thing. On top of all the issues mold can cause for us humans, it can also build up on the plants and reduce the amount of light the plant has available which inhibits photosynthesis.
Now that we have what the Lanternfly is and does out of the way, let’s get into how we combat these guys. The very first (and most important) step for mitigating Lanternflies in your own yard is to remove any Tree of Heaven trees you might have growing in your yard. A lot of folks like how these plants look but they’re actually an invasive species from the same areas that Lanternflies are found and are the preferred host for them. Lanternflies flock to these trees and removing any will quickly drop the numbers in your immediate vicinity.
Even with removing any Tree of Heaven in the area, Lanternflies will still be an issue. They might move to another Tree of Heaven nearby or they could choose to make their home in another tree in your yard. One of the best methods for mitigating the problem is to destroy any egg masses before they hatch. Every year during late fall to early winter, adult lanternflies will lay their eggs, and we have until April before they hatch. They like to lay their eggs on any flat surface like on trees or sides of buildings. If you find any suspected egg clusters, scrape them into a container with either alcohol or vinegar, and that’ll be the end of about 30-50 potential lanternflies. Destroying eggs before they arrive is of course ideal, but we’ll never be able to find any sizable portion of their eggs before they hatch officially arrive come springtime. Once they’re here, the most effective way to get rid of them is circular sticky traps. You can put them up around tree trunks, branches, deck railings, or really anywhere outside they seem to be gathering and before you know it you will have hundreds of them trapped.
Unfortunately for us and our local ecosystem, it looks like Lanternflies are here to stay. It might seem like searching for egg clusters or hanging sticky traps is just a drop in the bucket for a bigger problem but if we all do our part, we can make a real impact. Efforts made by normal everyday people have been the number one factor in slowing down the spread of these pests. Our ecosystem will eventually adapt to these invaders as it always does to invasive species, it just takes time and the more time we give ourselves and work to keep the number of Lanternflies down, the better off our environment and all of us in the area will be.
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