The Spotted Lanternfly: 10 tips for getting rid of the destructive pest

A Spotted Lanternfly in Hopewell Borough on Thursday. Photo: Krystal Knapp.

The Spotted Lanternfly is spreading fast and in the Princeton region, several counties in New Jersey, and parts of Pennsylvania. The insect is being very destructive. The Spotted Lanternfly, which is from Asia and entered the United States in 2012, eats trees, grapes, hops, vegetable plants, flowers, and almost any plant in their path. Although they do not bite or sting, they can swarm people, making it difficult to be outside in infested areas.

Area residents are reporting that they are seeing increasing numbers of nymphs, adults and egg masses in the Princeton area, Residents of Princeton. Hopewell Township, Hopewell Borough, Hamilton, Lawrence, West Windsor, and Trenton have reported Spotted Lanternfly sightings to Planet Princeton. If you see grayish putty-like egg masses on trees, cars, lampposts, or other surfaces, scrape them off, double bag them and throw them away. You can also place the eggs in alcohol, bleach or hand sanitizer

If you are in one of the quarantined counties (Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Salem, Somerset, and Warren) you do not need to contact the New Jersey Department of Agriculture about Spotted Lanternfly sightings. Residents in those counties should check surfaces of materials and objects that can spread the pest before moving them, and destroy any Spotted Lanternflies or eggs that are observed.

Spotted Lanternfly locations in unquarantined counties in New Jersey can be reported to the Department of Agriculture by emailing slf-plantindustry@ag.nj.gov or by calling 609-406-6943.

The French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust has compiled a list of tips for dealing with adult Spotted Lanternflies.

  1. Smush the bugs. It is effective and the method that is least harmful to the environment. If the flies are on a hard surface, fly swatters and wiffle ball bats work well. If you miss the first time, don’t give up. Lanternflies jump well the first time, but then lose energy. If you follow the bug, you will likely get it on the second or third try.
  2. Keep a spray bottle of insecticidal soap handy to spray lanternflies on contact. Penn State reports that the following soaps work: Concern Insect Killing Soap C, Ortho Elementals Insecticidal Soap, and Safer Insect-Killing-Soap. People also report success using a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol and water. Some people add dish soap. If you mist the bugs instead of using a stream, you are more likely to coat them before they jump away.
  3. Capture them in a bottle. Hold a bottle, like a plastic Gatorade bottle, in front of the bug’s face. The bug will jump in.
  4. Use a shop vac. If you have Spotted Lanternflies on your house, a shop vac will suck them up. Use water and Dawn dish soap in the reservoir to kill them.
  5. Build a Spotted Lanternfly Circle Trap. With these traps, you can capture Lanternfly nymphs as they climb up trees. Duke Farms has a great video that walks you through making your own trap.
  6. If you use sticky paper, use it judiciously. If you decide to wrap your tree with sticky paper or inside-out duct tape, only use a 2-inch or smaller strip to minimize harm to wildlife. Keep tape at least 4’ off the ground. Only use the tape around trees that the Spotted Lanternflies are attracted to or around deck posts. Monitor the tape closely. Do not wrap your entire tree in it or large portions of the trunk, otherwise birds and other animals will get stuck to the tree. If you are planning to use sticky bands this year, you should build a raised guard of wire or screening around the band to prevent other creatures from getting stuck on them. Penn State Extension has a short video that shows how to properly use sticky bands.
  7. Spray weeds with vinegar. If the Spotted Lanternflies are on weeds you don’t want around anyway, spray them with vinegar. They die instantly, and you might get rid of the weed, too.
  8. Plant more Milkweed. It appears that Spotted Lanternflies are attracted to Common Milkweed because the U.S. is not their home. The insects don’t know it is poisonous so they eat it and it kills them. The poisonous sap also slows them down so they are much easier to catch and smush in your hand. Bonus: Common Milkweed can save the Monarch butterfly from extinction too.
  9. Shoot table salt at the insects at close range. Bug Assault is a gun that does this. It is meant to use on small insects like flies but it also works great on Spotted Lanternflies. The first shot may not kill them, but it will stun them, and then you can squish or step on them.
  10. Use BB guns with no BBs. Pump the BB gun 4 to 5 times, and get really close to the insect.

For more information about Spotted Lanternflies, visit the New Jersey Department of Agriculture website.



16 Comments

  1. Please cut down the “Tree of Heaven” tree, which lanternflies love (and may need to have to live — not proven yet). Princeton is allowing the trees to be cut down without a fee or permit, but you need to tell the town arborist that you are doing so. The tree is an invasive species that should be eliminated.

    1. I hear the tree if heaven isn’t a simple chop down, they return like bamboo if the stump isn’t treated. True?

      1. You need to apply a strong herbicide, like concentrated Round-up, to the tree. At this time of year, one wants to do a “hack and squirt” where you make some cuts in the trees bark by hacking and then squirt the herbicide onto the openings. The tree will take the herbicide to its roots, and both the tree and the roots will die.

  2. You are maiming and torturing nature if you use sticky tape including birds, squirrels, tree frogs, just ask any rehabilitation center how many horrible injuries they have seen and most do not survive….It is torture.

    1. NO STICKY TAPE!! So many small animals and beneficial insects have perished trapped to sticky tape! Age departments are walking back this recommendation. If you would’ve done due diligence before posting this article, you would’ve seen this ; its been known for at least 2 months.

    2. As Linda says above, please do not use sticky tape. You get accidental catches and this is inhumane, the wildlife then needs to be taken to a wildlife rehab center to be removed or euthanized. Please check out Penn State Extension’s Circle Trap instructions online to make a humane trap. Or they sell them, for a lot of money, on Great Lakes IPM.

  3. Since New Jersey ridiculously regulates BB guns the same as any other firearm, suggesting that people use them in this manner is patently irresponsible.

  4. I have seen these on cape Cod .i didn’t think much of it because we see so many different types of moths. Are they night flyers? I have seen at least 2 in my house during the day.

  5. I have used an aquarium net to trap the lanternfly. When they are on my trees and other places. They try to hop but are caught in the net then smash them against the tree or surface it works well

  6. Selective killing by propane torch.

    Make sure there are no fire hazards like dried grass or leaves. If you have a self-igniting torch like Bernzomatic, get close (within 2 inches of the lantern fly preferably from the back) push button halfway to let gas for about a second, then all the way to ignite and let go. Doing so will ambush and burn the SLF. The action is a brief burst of flame to minimize risk of starting fire.

    Good riddance and have fun.

  7. Those methods don’t work when their 30 feet up in the tree already. All the trees of heaven on our 30 acres are covered with them. I cut down the smaller trees but l have some that are 30 foot tall and taller. They still cover them laying on the ground you have to burn the trees. I live in Lebanon Country Pa.

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