How to Get Rid of Spotted Lanternflies

There’s no denying it. The invasive Spotted Lanternflies are here. Before they eat up our trees and gardens what can we do? Practically speaking, how do we eliminate these harmful pests?

Here’s a list of helpful recommendations from the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust on how to get rid of the invaders:

Smushing the bugs is effective and the method that is least harmful to the environment. If the flies are on a hard surface, fly swatters and whiffle ball bats work. If you miss the first time, DON’T GIVE UP! Lanternflies jump GREAT the first time, not so good the second time, and then they lose energy. If you follow the bug, you will get it on the second or third try! Always try to come at the bugs from in front; they see better behind them. For the techies out there, there are special electric tennis rackets made for this – Zap-It, twin bug zappers – the first zap stops them from flying, then you can squash or zap again.

Smush again! If you are outside without your fly swatter, and you see one bug and want to smush it, this technique is foolproof (but not good if you are squeamish). Very, very SLOWLY, put one hand in front of the bug. Very, very SLOWLY, put one hand behind the bug. Very, very SLOWLY, bring your back hand towards your front hand until you have the bug trapped between your hands. You can then squish it, step on it, or drop it in a jar or tub of water and quickly put the lid on.

Another method for catching many adults on a tree or on the side of a house is to use a shop vac. A shop vac will suck them up quickly and they will be gone. If you don’t own a shop vac, you can buy a small bucket-sized one on Amazon or in many local stores.

The sticky paper plus hose method: If you have a tree with a bad infestation of lanternflies, wrap wide sticky paper or several strips of thinner sticky paper or inside-out duct tape around the bottom of the tree. Get out your hose or pressure washer and spray the bugs with water – or get out your leaf blower and spray the bugs with air – or knock the tree limbs with a broom – so they fall off the tree. They will scramble to climb back up the tree, and they will get caught on the sticky paper. You may need to replace the sticky paper if it starts to fill up with lanternflies. Once most of the bugs have returned to the tree and been captured, remove the paper from your tree and fold it back on itself. Never leave sticky paper unattended because it can harm beneficial insects and birds and other wildlife.

Bug Assault is a gun that shoots table salt at close range, and it works great on lanternflies. Here is a link to one that works:  With older flies, the first shot may not kill them, but it will stun them, and then you can squish or step on. Air guns and BB guns with no BB’s also kill them! To quote: just pump 4 to 5 times, get really close to them and pow, blown to smithereens!!

Plant more milkwExperts suggest the removal of invasive Alianthus trees (Tree of Heaven) as they attract Spotted Lanternflies.Alinathus Tree, or Tree of Heaven is an invasive tree that attracts Spotted Lanternflieseed! It appears that the lanternflies are attracted to Common Milkweed. We find dead lanternflies on it every day. The lanternflies are new here, and they don’t know it is poisonous, so they eat it and it kills them. The poisonous sap also slows them down, so they are much easier to catch and smush in your hand. At the very least, you will be helping save the Monarch Butterfly and helping other pollinators, who love the flowers.

If you are dying to spray them with something, these pesticides are endorsed by Penn State as excellent at killing them on contact, but they don’t stay long on surfaces, so they should do the least harm to the beneficial insects we need: Purely Green, Spotted Lanternfly Killer 2 (active ingredient essential oils); Bonide Neem Oil (active ingredient Neem); Garden Safe Multi-Purpose Garden Insect Killer, Natria Insect Mite and Disease Control (active ingredient natural pyrethrins; and Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap (active ingredient insecticidal soap).

Don’t remove your spider webs! Spiders are catching lanternflies in their webs every day. Some of our spiders are learning to eat them. They will do lanternfly removal for you.

Remove Tree of Heaven from your property and replace it with a native tree. There is a strong relationship between Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus) and the Spotted Lanternfly – they love it. Tree of Heaven is an invasive, noxious plant that produces ailanthone, a chemical which has been reported to possess herbicidal activity similar to glyphosate (Round-Up) and paraquat. It prevents native plants from growing around it. Removing Tree of Heaven from your property is always a good idea. You may need a professional to do this.

When trying to handle a nymph: Leave out trays of water. Some people add some lemon oil. For some reason, they climb in the tray and drown. Our use The Tupperware Tub method – you can catch oodles of nymphs in a very short time. You will need a Tupperware tub, margarine container, or large yogurt container with a tight-fitting lid. Put a couple inches of a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water in the bottom. Hold the tub under a branch on which there are nymphs. Tap the branch from above, the nymphs fall in the liquid, slap the lid on, and the nymphs will drown within 15 seconds. You can save the liquid for next time. Remember, never pour this liquid on the ground – pour it down your garbage disposal or toilet.

Spotted Lanternfly Eggs Masses start appearing in early fall. They are grey or brown globby 2-4″ smears that look a bit like old chewing gum on trees, cement blocks, rocks, cars, houses, barbecue grills – any hard surface. The good news is this is the easiest phase to get rid of – you can scrape them off using a plastic card, like a credit card or a putty knife. Scrape them into a small baggie or container filled with isopropyl alcohol or hand sanitizer. This is the most effective way to kill the eggs, but they can also be smashed or burned. Remember that some eggs will be laid at the tops of trees and may not be possible to reach.

Do you have ideas on how to get rid of lantern flies? Post them in the comments section below: