All-Natural Spotted Lanternfly Treatment

At Bee Friendly Pest Control, we offer an all-natural spotted lanternfly treatment that’s 100% safe for your family.

The spotted lanternfly is an invasive species native to Southeast Asia that threatens many types of plants in the US because of its feeding habits. The invading insect first appeared in Pennsylvania but quickly spread to the surrounding states, causing damage to numerous host plants.

Our pest control experts can help mitigate the spotted lanternfly populations around your home without harming the vegetation, people, or animals – including bees!

What Is a Spotted Lanternfly?

Despite its name, the spotted lanternfly isn’t a fly but a planthopper, similar to a cicada or aphid. Spotted lanternflies feed on the sap of at least 70 species of plants, and their favorites include hardwood trees, hops, grapes, and fruit trees.

Spotted lanternflies are parasites that feed on host plants, changing their eating habits as they mature from nymphs to adults. Adult spotted lanternflies prefer the tree species known as tree of heaven, but nymphs commonly feed on a wide range of plants, including fruit trees and grape vines.

What Kind of Damage Do Spotted Lanternflies Do?

With massive populations spanning several states in the Northeastern US, spotted lanternflies can cause extensive damage to plants that affects industries like logging, fruit, and wine. In response, counties in the affected states have implemented quarantines to slow the spread of the insects. Since the first sighting in 2014, the list of quarantined counties has continued to grow.

You can recognize plants with spotted lanternfly damage by looking for these common signs:

• Sticky, brown egg masses
• Streaks of sap on tree bark
• Layers of honeydew
• Sooty mold
• Increased number of bees and wasps

If you have a severe infestation, the spotted lanternflies might excrete so much honeydew that it rains down from the trees or plants. Over time, honeydew can leave behind a black sooty mold that stands out on affected plants. The sweet substance can also attract a large number of bees and wasps to the area.

The Life-Cycle of a Spotted Lanternfly

These insects lay clusters of eggs that look like masses of brown seeds that are around an inch long. The eggs have a coating of thick secretions that helps them stick to flat surfaces. When the eggs hatch in late spring, the spotted lanternflies start as nymphs and go through four stages of life.

During the four instar stages, the nymphs climb trees to feed on the sap and develop into adults by mid-summer. The adult spotted lanternflies mate and lay eggs in late summer and early fall. While the adults die in winter, the eggs survive because of the protective layer of secretions around them.

How To Identify a Spotted Lanternfly

Recently hatched spotted lanternflies, known as nymphs, are black with white spots and  measureabout a fourth of an inch long. As the nymphs grow, they become around a half of an inch long and develop some red coloring.

Adult spotted lanternflies have brown forewings with black spots and red hindwings with black spots, and they’re about an inch long fully grown. The red wings are only visible when the insects open their brown-colored wings on top.

Prevention and Control of Spotted Lanternflies

Spotted lanternflies are a threat to big businesses, but they also threaten your ability to peacefully enjoy the outdoor space around your home. Our pest control experts at Bee Friendly Pest Control have experience eradicating these invading insects without using harmful chemicals.

If you notice signs of spotted lanternflies, give us a buzz right away so we can provide a spotted lanternfly treatment before the population gets out of hand!

Egg Scraping

An essential step in controlling the spotted lanternfly population is getting rid of the eggs, which you can do yourself if you notice egg clusters between pest control appointments. You can typically find eggs on various outdoor surface, including:

• Trees
• Furniture
• Picnic tables
• Playground equipment
• Vehicles

Using a tool with a flat edge, scrape the eggs off the surface and seal them in a plastic bag or container with hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol for disposal.

Spotted Lanternfly Treatment

Besides using a treatment to control spotted lanternflies, pest control professionals can curb their numbers by removing their favorite plants and using tree barriers to deter nymphs from feeding.

Protecting Your Home From Spotted Lanternflies With Safe, Organic Pest Control

At Bee Friendly Pest Control, we don’t use toxic chemicals to keep your home safe from pests like spotted lanternflies, mosquitos, ticks, wasps, and fleas. Instead, we take advantage of natural ingredients, such as rosemary, thyme, garlic and clove, that are safe to use around animals, crops, and bees.

Call us at 1-888-423-3588 to get a free quote for spotted lanternfly treatment!

FAQs

When is the spotted lanternfly season?

You can see adult spotted lanternflies from July to December. Females lay eggs in late summer and early fall, typically starting in September. The eggs hatch in late spring, usually May or April, and the nymphs feed throughout the summer.

How do you prevent spotted lanternflies?

Spotted lanternflies reproduce in large numbers, so stopping the spread is the most important step. Checking your property for eggs and disposing of them properly can cut down on the population.

You can also prevent infestations by removing the plants that spotted lanternflies like to eat from your property.

Where in the US are spotted lanternflies?

Spotted lanternflies appeared in Pennsylvania in 2014 but have spread as far as Indiana, Virginia, and Massachusetts. The largest populations are in southern Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey.

Every county in New Jersey is under quarantine, requiring businesses to take extra precaution before sending materials to other locations.

What plants do spotted lanternflies eat?

Spotted lanternflies eat over 70 species of plant, including popular tree species such as:

• Tree of heaven
• Willow
• Maple
• Fruit (apple, plums, peaches, etc.),
• Grape vines
• Pine
• Birch
• Black walnut

Our spotted lanternfly treatment can help prevent damage to these plants without harming plants and animals.