Controlling the Spotted Lanternfly Population

It’s that time again. Unfortunately, Berks County and the surrounding areas will soon see the arrival of an unwanted guest: the Spotted Lanternfly.

The invasive sap-feeding plant hopper was first discovered in Berks County in 2014. It’s known to feed on an array of hosts, including wild and cultivated grapes, stone fruits, willow and a variety of hardwoods, and can cause economic hardship to a variety of industries for these reasons.

If you’re looking to control the population at your property, call New Castle Lawn and Landscape. We’ve been assisting the USDA with running efficacy tests on the pest, treating Ailanthus trees in several sites with selected insecticides. A few times each week, New Castle would then perform dead Lanternfly counts to help the USDA to learn which applications are effective.

Upon study, two methods have been found to work best. One is a spray that can be applied to landscaping that kills the Spotted Lanternfly instantly. While it’s quite effective, it has little residual effects. The other is a bark spray applied during summer months after adult flies have emerged. It quickly enters a tree’s vascular system. On trees larger than 40-feet tall, it must be injected into the trunk.

Stages of Management

Controlling the Spotted Lanternfly population can be done at the various stages of its lifecycle. Egg masses, which can survive the winter and hatch in spring months, can be scraped off surfaces where they are found. Such surfaces include tree trunks, limbs, loose bark and smooth surfaces including stone, vehicles, trash barrels, outdoor furniture and other man-made structures. Brown sticky bands help with catching nymphs on trees, too. Adult flies are controlled with one of the two above mentioned methods. 

While the invasive, nuisance pests can be destructive to agricultural and landscape plants, the good news is they can be managed if treated. New Castle Lawn and Landscape professionals can help with that! 

To report a sighting or schedule a visit to control the Spotted Lanternfly population where you live or work, call us at 610-796-7818 or visit www.newcastle94.com.