Spotted Lantern fly

[Arnold]

A bit of background on insect pests.
Most are blind or have limited vision.
They generally find mates and food via scent using the antennae atop their heads.

The lures work by tricking them into thinking their approaching food or a mate.
It so happens that the chemical lure ( pheromone) for this particular pest is a common substance many folks may have in the bathroom medicine cabinet.
Methyl salicylate, or better known as wintergreen.
 If you do purchase the lure you will smell wintergreen.
 I purchased the pheromone lures from https://alphascents.com/collections/lures-1/products/spotted-lantern-fly
 


Traps came from https://www.greatlakesipm.com/monitoring/traps/great-lakes-ipm/glgl401101-spotted-lanternfly-slftrap-reusable-full-season-reservoir.

There's two different ones.  One has a removable jar to empty and replace. 
 The other is a plastic bag that doesn't allow for emptying and replacing.
 



 

[Carlos]

Hi, it seems hard to fight back. It's not a fly nor a moth, but a planthopper in family Fulgoridae, related to cicadas.

Carlos

[Arnold]

Based on my casual observations it eats just about everything.

Has some favorites like Ailanthus altissima and Evodias.

Found on grapes, maples, apples, raspberries.

Looks like the eggs fall to the ground in spring and the nymphs climb trees to feed on softer plants structures like tender shoots and stems.

[Mikent]

Maybe they just like "holy" things, Arnold. Ailanthus altissima (known as the Tree of Heaven), and Evodias (named after Saint Evodius, the first Bishop of Antioch, and Saint Peter's successor).

Interestingly, the bark, and roots of the Ailanthus are used to make an industrial insecticide. Must not work on these guys.

Mike
In the Finger Lakes Region, 6A; where we're currently experiencing a mild drought after nine days without any precipitation. Yes, nine days is a long time without rain in this area...

[Arnold]

They seem to have wide likes here in NE NJ.

I've found them on pears, apples, plums,grapes Raspberries and most of the street trees around these parts.

I suspect they will have a large impact on native trees.

[MarcR]

Arnold,

Here on the forum, many practice Organic Gardening. Outside the hort forums [fora] most people are ignorant. When DDT was banned, the Gypsy moth destroyed millions of acres of forest.  I am of the opinion that Rachel Carson should be force fed a gallon of prune juice and hung by her ankles. I think that limited use of DDT should be allowed before this pest does similar damage.

[Arnold]

Marc

I have some doubts, myself about the damage created by DDT.

There are many other much safer ways to control pests.

I use many here without resorting to dangerous chemicals.

There's a new one on the market based on a peptide found in an Australian spider venom.

Most people lack the knowledge or interest in looking for safer methods.

It's always easier to take the most available option.

[MarcR]

Arnold,

Organic methods work fine on small plots of up to 1000 acres. When trying to protect 10 million acres of forest they are impractical.

[Arnold]

I think it's just as easy to spray BT and DDT over a large area.

[MarcR]

Arnold,

I prefer organic methods when they give a reliable control.
However organic methods can only achieve control. With a pest like spotted lantern fly, eradication is essential.  Organic methods cannot achieve that unless you get everyone in all effected states to practice them [which is NOT going to happen].

When DDT was banned, without first developing an alternative, 43 million acres of old growth forest in Michigan Wisconsin, and Minnesota were destroyed by the Gypsy Moth. I agree that controlling DDT was environmentally necessary. Banning it without an alternative was idiotic!  The environmental impact of banning it was far worse than the environmental impact of using it.

[Arnold]

Marc

I agree with you completely.

I have protected the trees on my property.  Doesn't help the trees in local parks or those planted on the streets.

They are all at risk.

[Jan Jeddeloh]

Arnold, are those bugs in your traps Spotted Lantern Fly?  I've seen picture of them and they are a rather attractive bug (visually only!) with red on the wings.  I can't see red wings in these pictures.  Are the wings just closed or are they nymphs or what?  Spotted Lantern Fly has shown up in a few nursery shipments but so far has not established itself in Oregon.  We're also worried about Emerald Ash Beetle and Japanese Beetle getting established.

[Arnold]

The spotted lantern fly has three to four instars before you see the adult with wings.

[MarcR]

.......  Spotted Lantern Fly has shown up in a few nursery shipments but so far has not established itself in Oregon.  We're also worried about Emerald Ash Beetle and Japanese Beetle getting established.

There are 2 ways to ensure that they do not become established.

1 Don't buy anything from East coast or Japanese suppliers.

2 Malathion dip anything received from East Coast or Japanese suppliers and burn the wrappings.

I realize that Malathion is not 'organic' but it is the least toxic and quickest to break down of all the effective insecticides.