5 Effective Strategies to Combat Spotted Lanternflies & Protect Your Property

Left unchecked, spotted lanternflies can cause significant damage to your plants and trees. This invasive species has developed an international reputation for harming crucial agriculture, not to mention its ability to spread eggs quickly. So, if you happen to see these lanternflies on your property, don’t hesitate to get started on a pest control plan. Vigilance is key in combating spotted lanternflies. Regularly inspect your plants, trees, and outdoor areas for signs of their presence, such as egg masses or nymphs. By detecting them early, you can take prompt action to prevent infestations.

Methods to combat the threat of spotted lanternflies and protect your property include:

Egg Removal

Spotted lanternflies lay their eggs in the fall, and they will do so on nearly any hard surface they find. Wherever you see an egg mass, scrape it off and destroy it to ensure more spotted lanternflies don’t hatch in the spring.

Tree Banding

Tree banding is a proven method to trap and control spotted lanternflies (in addition to many other insects that can damage them). Sticky bands are applied around the trunks of trees to catch the nymphs as they climb. This technique disrupts their life cycle and helps prevent further spread.

Targeted Tree Removal

While these pests will target a wide variety of trees and other plants, there’s nothing they love more than the tree-of-heaven. If you have one or more on your property and wouldn’t mind having it removed by professionals, that can go a long way toward minimizing the problem.

DIY Extermination

Should you see a few spotted lanternflies within reach, you can kill them with a flyswatter, shoe, newspaper, or anything you’d use on other bugs. The good news about this species is that it doesn’t bite humans, so you’re not at risk of getting attacked by angry lanternflies.

Call the Experts

Whether all else fails or you simply want to ensure the spotted lanternflies are properly removed, calling a professional pest control service like North Eastern Tree, Shrub & Lawn Care is the tried-and-true way to go. Reach out to us today to schedule your consultation and learn more about the work we do in Upstate New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.