As you well know, in the last year the spotted lanternfly (SLF), has made its presence known here in Virginia, wreaking havoc on outdoor activities such as pool side, barbecues, and porch-sitting. The yuck factor of our outdoor surfaces littered with lanternflies, both living and dead, is a real thing! Not only do they invoke a case of the yuckies in us, they also have an impact on your trees and shrubs.
It’s well advertised the impact on agricultural crops such as grapes, but on residential landscape they cause stress on trees and shrubs, unsightly damage, and the aforementioned yuckies – who wants to step on a lanternfly??
How do you know you may soon be overrun by spotted lanternfly? You may find egg masses which look like a smear of mud on trees, rocks, or outdoor surfaces. You also might notice dark streaks of sap oozing down tree bark due to the SLF feeding. Sticky honeydew, a sugary substance secreted by insects that feed on sap, may accumulate at the base of trees. This honeydew fosters the growth of black sooty mold.
While the appearances are unsightly, your landscape can also become stressed. The spotted lanternfly weakens plants by depleting nutrients and stored starches from the host plant, resulting in stunted growth through both nutrient depletion and inhibited photosynthesis through sooty mold growth. The spotted lanternfly prefers tree-of-heaven, black walnut, and grapevines, but you may see them on maples, willows, birches, and tulip poplars.
There are things the homeowner can do to minimize the population of the spotted lanternfly such as removing tree-of-heaven – but leaving a few as “trap trees.” Trap trees are then treated with systemic insecticides to target SLFs feeding on them while minimizing pesticide use across the entire property. Our sister company, Blue Ridge Property Services, can help with identification and removal of tree-of-heaven, while treating your remaining trap trees.
As a homeowner, in the fall and winter scrape off egg masses during fall or winter using a scraper or credit card. You can also use sticky bands around the base of trees to trap the nymphs; however, if you use sticky bands, please use protective barriers so you don’t trap birds and other non-target animals!!
While spotted lanternflies are unlikely to kill most trees outright, their presence stresses plants and creates significant nuisance issues for property owners. We are here to help you manage both the population and protect your landscape investment!
