Photo: istockphoto.com
The US federal government recently announced the arrival of an invasive species of insect in the US: the spotted lantern fly (Lycorma delicatula) makes its way across the east coast, killing plants and trees, and leaving sticky residue on porches and patios. The U.S. Department of Agriculture considers the lantern fly to be a significant threat to crops.
What can homeowners do to protect themselves from this latest landscape threat? Kathy Glassey, director of renewable resources at Monster Tree Service, offers expert tips and advice on caring for plants in the face of the spotted lantern fly.
What is a spotted lantern fly?
The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) is a planthopper from northern China. The adults have four wings. The front wings are gray with dark spots, and the rear wings are black-tipped, white in the center and bright red near the body. SLF females are 24 to 27 mm long while males are 21 to 22 mm long.
Although it follows from their description that the SLF would be fairly easy to spot, they go through five stages of stages, or growing cycles, where they look completely different. They lay eggs from August to early November and overwinter in late spring. The insects are relatively small in the entire stage and are often mistaken for ticks in the first to third stage.
“You can see these stages from around May to July,” says Glassey. “The fourth stage nymph has the first distinctive red color.” By late summer, the insect will have reached adulthood and will gather on trees. “The adults don’t fly in the traditional sense,” explains Glassey, “they jump and glide.”
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How did the spotted lantern fly get here?
The domestic range of the SLF includes China, India and Vietnam. It was first reported outside of these countries in South Korea in 1932 and has been abundant in Korea and Japan since then. The insect came to Berks County, Pennsylvania, via an overseas shipment in 2014 and has since spread to other states.
Where did the SLF spread?
In addition to Pennsylvania, the SLF has been identified in Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Connecticut, West Virginia, and Virginia.
“Global trade has created transportation for invasive pests to hitchhike and introduce into new regions that weren’t previously exposed,” says Glassy. “The Spotted Lanternfly is a great hitchhiker and can ride trains or cars, maybe even up to 60 mph!”
Photo: istockphoto.com
What kind of damage does the SLF cause?
The spotted lantern fly is found on more than 70 types of plants, especially trees with smooth bark. They feed on the sap in the phloem, the living tissue in vascular plants, which is what causes the stress on the trees and the possible decline. During feeding, SLFs excrete honeydew, a sugar-rich sticky liquid. The formation of honeydew promotes the growth of fungal and soot mold on the plant surface. The mold grows in black mats and disrupts the host plant’s ability to photosynthesize by blocking sunlight from the leaf surfaces. The honeydew also attracts other insects that can damage the plant.
The honeydew is also the breeding ground for the SLF. “Adult women lay egg masses that can contain an average of 30 to 50 eggs,” explains Glassy. “These masses of eggs have been found in many places including trees, tires, patio furniture, decks, fences, and more. “The pest is particularly harmful to grape plants and apple, oak, maple and walnut trees. They cause significant damage in the timber, wine and orchard industries, to name a few. “It is important to continue eradicating this pest,” warns Glassy, ”as it has a significant economic impact on our nation’s resources.”
Photo: istockphoto.com
What Can Home Owners Do To Stop The Spotted Lantern Fly?
Early detection is the best defense. The pest can be destroyed by its various stages. “If egg masses are found, they can be scraped off with a card and destroyed,” says Glassy. Egg masses can be found on any vertical surface and look like a mud patch. Catching nymphs or adult SLFs is challenging as they are mobile. Spraying insecticides is not particularly effective. Some practitioners use sticky traps or systemic insecticides, which are absorbed by the tree and affect the insects as they feed, to kill adult SLF.
According to Glassy, using common sense and due diligence can help prevent the spread of SLF. “If you’re traveling through or living in a confirmed SLF area, make sure you don’t have any hitchhikers with you,” she says. “Follow your state’s quarantine guidelines and hire a professional arborist to evaluate and provide treatment options.” And if you have an Ailanthus altissima, or Tree of Heaven, on your property, you may want to replace it. “SLF prefers this invasive tree species,” explains Glassy. Removing these trees from your property can prevent the SLF from invading your landscape at all. To be on the safe side, have your tree and bushes checked annually by a specialist to ensure early detection.
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