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Lanternfly nymph control #934060

Asked June 03, 2026, 4:54 PM EDT

My raspberry bushes are teeming with lanternfly nymphs. What's the recommended method for treating that is safe for pollinators and plants?

Baltimore City County Maryland

Expert Response

There is no way to eliminate Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), and even if a particular control measure works well in the short term, new individuals will recolonize an area within the same year (or sooner) once the insect reaches adulthood and is capable of flying. No pesticide targets only SLF without also potentially harming other species exposed to a spray or its residues, including pollinators and beneficial predators that eat pests.

You can find management tips to reduce a population over the short term (like Penn State's "circle trap" design) and information about pesticide use in the linked page. SLF doesn't cause significant or detectable damage to the vast majority of home landscapes plants; only vineyards, hops farms, and possibly some orchards might have enough negative impacts to cause problems. Additionally, a number of natural predators are eating SLF and will help to reduce their numbers over the long term.

If you want to keep insects off of the raspberry plants (when they are not in bloom and benefit from pollination, that is), you can cover them with insect mesh netting, which will also keep out leaf-chewing pests like adult Japanese Beetles.

Miri

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