It’s the time of year when yards across the D.C. region are invaded by a pest not native to our area.
Twelve years ago, the Asian spotted lanternfly was first seen outside Philadelphia. Experts believe the spotted lanternfly made its way here on shipping containers that held their egg masses.
While the spotted lanternfly does not sting or bite, it does hop, as Elly Rowe, WTOP’s marketing director, can confirm.
“They have been hopping off of plants, hopping onto my pets,” Rowe said. “It freaks me out.”
Lou Meyer, an arborist with Davey Tree Expert Company, told WTOP the spotted lanternfly hops instead of flying, as bees and other insects do.
“The adults fly like chickens. They could do short distances,” Meyer said. “The spotted lanternfly is a small, invasive forestry pest.”
The only tree that is in true danger due to the spotted lanternfly is the tree of heaven.
“Which is great because that tree is an invasive, non-native tree. So, any of those we can kill are wonderful,” Meyer said.
While the spotted lanternfly is not killing any other trees, Meyer said the pests are feeding off them by drinking the sugars that the tree produces to stay alive.
“This is a weird metaphor, but think of like a tapeworm. It’s not going to kill you, but it’s going to weaken you,” Meyer said.
Vines are one of the targets of the spotted lanternfly, which does affect those growing grapes and hops.
When the spotted lanternfly gets all loaded up from the sugars from the trees it does cause an effect on pets.
“It is then excreting, or it’s a fancy word for ‘pooping’ out this sweet, sticky substance called honeydew,” Meyer said with a chuckle. “It’s a real high sugar content, clear liquid that comes out of the back end.”
On a sunny day, according to Meyer, if you walk under a tree that is inundated with Asian insects, you will think it’s raining. The substance sticks to anything underneath.
So, if you have a tree with the spotted lanternfly over your driveway, patio or walkway, it will be covered by that sweet, sticky substance, which attracts airborne mold.
“Your car that you park for five days a week, because you take the Metro in … it’s just going to get this gross, sticky, gray stuff on it that’s hard to get off, and it can actually ruin it over time,” Meyer said.
If you’re wondering how to get rid of the unwelcome guest in your yard, Meyer said insecticides that have dinotefuran and imidacloprid can help.
“I’m not a big fan of wholesale destruction of living beings, but these things are pretty gross,” Meyer said.
If you don’t want to use products, Meyer said you can take matters into your own hands.
“If you see them, squish them, and it’s a fun game for kids to play, ‘kill the spotted lanternfly,’” Meyer said with a laugh.
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