By Hildur Palsdottir
Not just the climate, but also the composition of flora and fauna is changing rapidly as a consequence of human activity. Travel and trade routes have redistributed animals and plants across the globe to be out of alignment with the evolution of ecosystems in their original homes. Certain exotic plants quickly choke out natives, who simply can’t compete, as there’s no natural predator or ecological regulation for the majority of imported non-native beings. As a result we call them invasive pests and the USDA blames invasives for economic losses at $137 billion per year.
Before we knew better, explorers would triumphantly introduce new species to our ecosystem. Now we do it inadvertently. Native to China, the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF, Lycoroma delicatula) has now made Long Island their new home. The spotted lanternfly isn’t really a “fly,” but a planthopper, and doesn’t travel long distances on its own. First discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014, we have helped these hitchhikers spread by transporting goods.
To insect enthusiasts, they look pretty at first sight, but give them time to spread and they quickly become not just a real nuisance but also an economic liability as they suck the life out of both crops and ornamentals. They weaken plants and excrete honeydew (nice word for “bug urine) that promotes sooty mold growth. If you’ve parked beneath an SLF-infested tree you know what I mean, as the sticky excrement is hard to clean. They’ve already cost farmers a fortune in the states where they’ve spread. Spotted lanternflies threaten to wreak havoc in Long Island vineyards.
The adult form looks like a butterfly-moth hybrid, with bright red wings. The nymphs undergo four instar stages and start out as tiny black dots in May to end up red with white spots (<1 inch in size) before the adult emerges in July. Adults are easy to spot as they’re one-inch long with wingspan of about two inches.
SLF swarms easily feel overwhelming, but don’t worry about your safety as they don’t sting or bite and they do not carry diseases. Economists at Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences estimated that SLF cost Pennsylvania thousands of jobs and over $300 million a year in damages. The immature forms of SLF aren’t picky eaters and can feed on a wide variety of hardwood trees and grapevines. The adults prefer the host plant, the Tree of Heaven (TOH, Ailanthus altissima).
Introduced in good faith as an ornamental in 1784, it is now a weed to our woodlands. Tree of Heaven (TOH) is native to China and was intentionally brought to Philadelphia as an exotic, fast-growing shade tree. In 1820 it was intentionally brought to Flushing, Long Island. We can help curb the spread of SLF by removing TOH. But you have to know how to manage this invasive tree effectively. With older trees there’s a method to the madness and you better consult an expert.
SLF spread by laying their eggs. They hatched early this spring, but please do not wait for Easter with the egg hunt. Start your egg hunt early this fall. Learn how to identify and destroy SLF egg masses. These egg masses, which look like lichen, are found on any flat surface, including trees, rocks, lawn furniture, folding chairs and the underside of your car. You’ll need to scrape these into a resealable bag that contains rubbing alcohol and dispose of them properly.
Non-chemical management of the SLF population is critical as the use of insecticides is non-specific and harms beneficial insects. Insects pollinate the majority of flowering plants and are foundational to our food supplies, while also decomposing organic materials and feeding birds and animals. Scientists are deeply concerned about the steep decline in the population of beneficial bugs.
The good with the bad news here is that the adult SLF is relatively large in size and therefore easy to spot and identify. We can play whac-a-lanternfly with a flat, handheld device or go on a stomping parade. Don’t go crazy if they get inside your home, they can’t survive more than 48 hours without food.
If you see them, crush them. The most eco-friendly and humane way to kill SLF is to crush them by hand (or foot). Step on them or squash them mechanically in whichever way you can think of. You can also use simple mechanical swats or handheld electric bug zappers for targeted killing. Specialized backpack-style vacuum cleaners have been designed that suck up SLF from the surfaces of tree trunks, branches and leaves.
This killing spree is especially hard for people who love bugs. Yes, that’s me! I failed every encounter with SLF so far, so I’m counting on you. I let them get away as I must admit I’m mesmerized by their beauty and novelty. So I’ll go for the egg hunt instead.
Please inspect all surfaces when you travel from a lanternfly infested area to a SLF free region. Look beneath your car and inspect your tires. You can use Ecosia (or Google) DIY circle traps for easy collection of SLF. Sticky band traps must be protected with screens to prevent collateral damages to wildlife. Too many birds and beneficial bugs get caught in homemade sticky traps and lanternfly tape.
Finally, a comforting observation from neighboring states where this pest first broke out. SLF threat to crops seems worst in the first outbreak, but damages seem to taper off after a few years, especially if we respond appropriately. Let’s help our ecosystem deal with these unintential invaders. Most importantly, don’t panic! Instead get wise, get to know your ecosystem. Learn the difference between beneficial bugs and harmful ones. Remove invasive trees and plant natives.
And let’s remember not to blame the bugs for this predicament. We did this to ourselves. Nature is well known to respond to environmental threats and evolutionary pressures by ridding itself of unwanted pests. And perhaps it’s not the spotted lanternfly, but really us who are bugging out the rest of the beings on Earth right now.
