Knowledgebase

Lantern flies #869878

Asked May 24, 2024, 7:42 AM EDT

I have a lot of baby lantern flies on my deck. What should I do?

Howard County Maryland

Expert Response

Yes, that is a spotted lanternfly nymph. They are emerging and becoming noticeable in many Maryland counties now. You can kill those you can manage to catch (since they run away and jump readily), but otherwise you do not need to take much action since they are so widespread in our region by now that killing a few will not make much difference in overall population size. They will not cause serious harm to garden plants, with a few exceptions (grape vines and hops, mostly on commercial farms), so do not warrant any further action (like use of an insecticide).

Spotted Lanternfly Management for Residents
Christa

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