Over the past few weeks, the Beaver County Master Gardener Program has received many questions about the spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula.
Chief among all questions, of course, is “What can be done?”
People often want to know what they can do or spray to keep these pesky insects away from their landscape. Although you can find plenty of information online, most of it isn't very useful. I hope to answer some of the most common questions we receive and some of the fears related to exposure to these parasitic pests.
In general, floodlights are unlikely to completely kill a tree or large landscape plant in your yard.
They can cause stress to trees like maples, walnuts, etc., but they choose a host plant native to East Asia: the tree of paradise (Ailanthus altissima), which is an invasive tree here in the Western Pennsylvania. It's easy to panic when you see a swarm of SLF crawling over a plant in your garden, but they generally won't be dominant enough to cause permanent or fatal damage to your plant.
The first method of controlling spotted lanternfly is physical control. These methods include hacking or destroying the SLF if possible, trapping it with tree ring traps, or even vacuuming.
When they stomp, approaching them can often be more effective due to the way their eyes are in their head, and when they jump, chasing them for a few more jumps can often result in a successful kill after they run out of energy. and cannot be circumvented indefinitely.
To obtain traps, visit the Penn State Extension spotted lanternfly website for detailed instructions on how to build and install a ring trap around your tree: https://extension.psu.edu/how -to-build-a - spotted - lanternfly -circle- trap
These traps work with the SLF's biological tendency to cling to tree trunks and its inability to retreat. Sticky traps can be effective, but always use animal barriers or mesh to prevent birds, butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects from accidentally flying into the trap and becoming trapped.
MORE: Spotted lanternfly returns to Beaver County, residents urged to avoid home remedies
SLF vacuuming can be a very effective method for controlling medium to large inventory. Using a vacuum with water in the pan and as strong a suction as possible, the SLF will flow - no basic insecticide needed.
If you need help determining whether a chemical intervention is appropriate for your situation, you can call or email the Master Gardener Hotline at 724-371-2062 or beavermg@psu.edu. They will ask you a few questions about your situation and help you scientifically weigh the pros and cons of different methods.
Our website also has several resources to help homeowners decide whether or not to spray: https://extension.psu.edu/deciding-if-and-when-to-treat-for-spotted-lanternfly-on - ornamentals.
Social media is full of home remedies for FLS. A simple solution is to mix dish soap with vinegar in a spray bottle and spray the solution on the SLF. Another solution I've found is to mix pine salt with sugar and water and put it in an open container on the patio or porch; Apparently the SLF will catch the wind, stumble and sink.
It's easy to see the appeal of such solutions; They are inexpensive and use products you probably already have at home, and many believe that since they are commonly used at home, they must be safe to use in the garden and may even be safe from " toxic pesticides”. However, this is not true. Scientists and researchers (and master gardeners!) know that just because a product is safe for home use, doesn't mean it's safe to use in the garden.
Pesticides are heavily regulated by the EPA and other agencies, and there are strict rules for use, including how much to use, when to use, and the time between applications. Because household products such as dish soap, vinegar, and pine wood are not regulated by these regulatory agencies, we have no information on the concentrations, doses, or application rates that may be safe or effective. Some of these products, like vinegar, are also very toxic to pollinators like bees and butterflies, and some can cause long-term damage or even kill plants.
For SLF control, we recommend using only products registered by the EPA as pesticides: all registered pesticides have a registration number on the label. If you are concerned about the use of toxic chemicals in your garden or prefer to grow organically, there are several organic options available that are still effective against SLF but are beneficial to insects or other wildlife, such as neem oil and a small amount for horticulture (or pesticides ) Create a hazard) soap.
For organic alternatives, look for the "OMRI" designation on the label - this seal of approval from the Organic Substances Review Institute means the product is safe for organic use, but still contains all the necessary concentration information , dosage and rate of use. . . etc. so you can be sure that you are using it safely and effectively.
You may have heard success stories from neighbors and friends using home remedies to control SLF, but remember that if beneficial plants or insects are damaged in the process, you may not know not the whole story and some successes cannot be replaced. Detailed rules and official guidelines.
Penn State Extension has additional information about SLF you may need; Visit our website for help spotting, reporting and managing SLF: https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly.
Remember that SLF will soon begin laying egg masses and one of the best methods of control is to scrape and destroy tree trunks, sides of buildings and outdoor equipment. Visit our website for more information on egg masses.
This leaves some hope: researchers are convinced that we will not sink into SLF forever.
Eventually, populations will disappear as wildlife learns to eat them and control methods introduced by humans are used sustainably. In the eastern part of the Earth, where they completely dominated only a few years ago, today there is a decrease in the population of SLF.
Here in Beaver County we may see things get worse before they get better, but maybe one day nature will take its course and we won't fight forever.
Lindsay Fetter is a horticulture educator and coordinator of the Pennsylvania Master Gardener Program in Beaver County.
This article originally appeared in the Beaver County Times: Over the Garden Gate: Spotted Lanternflies: Solutions, Home Remedies and Some Hope
