Spotted lanternfly killing free#

There are two potential solutions for dealing with spotted lanternflies on your property: Immediate removal with an approved insecticide or securing egg masses for analysis by local entomologists, Coyle advises. How do I get rid of spotted lanternfly bugs?

Spotted lanternfly killing free#

An added bonus - killing these pests will ensure your gardens, houseplants, patio furniture and other belongings stay free of infestations of thousands of spotted lanternfly nymphs this fall. Impacted residents can view an interactive spotted lanternfly spread map courtesy of New York State Integrated Pest Management.Īgricultural officials in each of these states have established quarantine zones for spotted lanternfly spread and are encouraging locals to kill these bugs after they've been first sighted.

Native to Asia, spotted lanternfly bugs were first sighted in Pennsylvania in 2014 - they've since spread in great numbers to 14 different states, according to the USDA. They may not pose a threat to your physical health (or that of your pets!) but bug specialists like Coyle are imploring Americans to work to stem the spread of lanternfly bugs. 'For this reason, large populations of this insect are best controlled quickly.' This attracts wasps and flies, and is often colonized by a black mold,' adds Coyle. 'Plants or anything else underneath spotted lanternfly feeding areas often get coated with a sticky substance known as 'honeydew,' a sweet-sounding name for bug poop. 'Spotted lanternfly populations can increase quickly, and it's not uncommon for an area to become overwhelmed with them in seemingly no time at all,' explains David Coyle, Ph.D., assistant professor of forest health and invasive species at Clemson University and a South Carolina State Extension specialist. If you live across the eastern seaboard of the United States or in burgeoning areas of the Midwest, there's a good chance you'll see the brilliantly vibrant wings of the spotted lanternfly among your yard or garden this fall.Īs we move closer to the start of the holiday season, the average spotted lanternfly is working to establish a breeding ground for thousands of new bugs to emerge later in the year - and everything from crops to potted houseplants and established garden beds can play host to them.Īccording to materials published by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), late September and October will see spotted lanternflies creating these breeding spots rather sneakily - all while feeding on plants in and around your home. Once it finds a mass on a tree, rock or even a rust metal surface, a robot arm with a spinning brush attachment goes in for the kill, scrubbing the eggs away like so much trash.Spotted lanternfly bugs have increasingly become an issue for homeowners over the last few years, but the 2022 breeding season is gearing up to make this invasive species more of a national crisis. This computer vision is also constantly on the hunt for egg masses, containing up to 50 lanternfly eggs. It starts with an electric tractor for movement and a suite of cameras for traversal. It’s called TartanPest and uses a combination of technologies and components to autonomously hunt down and destroy lanternfly egg masses. The big idea right now is to introduce several species of wasps into the mid-atlantic ecosystem to hunt and eat the lanternflies, but students at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute have developed an alternative plan in the form of a robot death machine. The spotted lanternfly may look innocent, but these ravenous creatures have been known to decimate crops, causing more than $500 million in damages to various fruit trees since being accidentally introduced to this country nearly a decade ago.