Lantern flies - Ask Extension
Hello:
What is the best way to kill lantern flies in the nymph stage (black with white spots) without harming other beneficial insects? The n...
Knowledgebase
Lantern flies #874065
Asked June 21, 2024, 12:26 PM EDT
Hello:
What is the best way to kill lantern flies in the nymph stage (black with white spots) without harming other beneficial insects? The nymphs jump, so trying to catch them is pretty impossible. Thank you.
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
We are getting lots of questions and see many alarmed people on social media calling for mass pesticide use, but we don't recommend that you spray anything to try and kill them, which will indeed impact beneficial insects.
SLF will be a nuisance insect for a while but are not expected to be terribly damaging to our landscapes.
As you have seen, they move quickly, and more will take their place. (Some people have noticed that they tend to only jump forward so holding a soda bottle open in front of them sometimes works).
Here is our Spotted Lanternfly page to learn more:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/spotted-lanternfly-management-residents/
Christine
SLF will be a nuisance insect for a while but are not expected to be terribly damaging to our landscapes.
As you have seen, they move quickly, and more will take their place. (Some people have noticed that they tend to only jump forward so holding a soda bottle open in front of them sometimes works).
Here is our Spotted Lanternfly page to learn more:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/spotted-lanternfly-management-residents/
Christine
