Lantern Flies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They rarely if ever kill trees. The only exception is the Tree of Heaven, which are invasive. They can damage some crops though. That’s the main concern. So if you’re not a farmer they’re really just a nuisance.

This is my understanding as well. At first we thought they were going to kill a lot of trees and crops, but they actually haven't been that big of an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They rarely if ever kill trees. The only exception is the Tree of Heaven, which are invasive. They can damage some crops though. That’s the main concern. So if you’re not a farmer they’re really just a nuisance.

No, they love Tree of Heaven, but unfortunately don't kill them, just use them for breeding.

We should eradicate both Tree of Heaven and speed lantern flies.

For the tree apparently you do need to dig it up or use herbicide after cutting it down, just on the spot where it was cut, otherwise it will likely resprout.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lantern Flies are awful invasive insects from China. Their nymphs literally suck the life out of trees and can kill the tree.

They have appeared in big numbers inside the beltway this year. Please kill them if you see them, and also try to remove and kill any egg masses attached to any tree.

I think they are rather pretty. Plus they don't actually kill trees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went out onto my deck last night and there were about 30 dead ones on the floor that were not there the day before. Hopefully, this heat is doing them in.

Do you have milkweed? It poisons them.

Interesting. All of the nymphs I could see in my yard were on the milkweed. They seem to love it.

Wrong insect. Those were likely not nymphs. They have a different shape. You probably saw milkweed bug.

No, I know my insects. The first through third instar lantern flies were all over my milkweed and my neighbors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They rarely if ever kill trees. The only exception is the Tree of Heaven, which are invasive. They can damage some crops though. That’s the main concern. So if you’re not a farmer they’re really just a nuisance.

No, they love Tree of Heaven, but unfortunately don't kill them, just use them for breeding.

We should eradicate both Tree of Heaven and speed lantern flies.

For the tree apparently you do need to dig it up or use herbicide after cutting it down, just on the spot where it was cut, otherwise it will likely resprout.

Unfortunately, they do not kill Tree of Heaven. I wish they did. You have to use roundup at the place you cut them

So, no birds or mantis are eating these flies. They jump when you try to kill them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lantern Flies are awful invasive insects from China. Their nymphs literally suck the life out of trees and can kill the tree.

They have appeared in big numbers inside the beltway this year. Please kill them if you see them, and also try to remove and kill any egg masses attached to any tree.

I think they are rather pretty. Plus they don't actually kill trees.

They do kill grape vines though, so it's really bad for our local wine industry that they have arrived.

[Anonymous]

They have decimated my hardy hibiscus (perennial).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lantern Flies are awful invasive insects from China. Their nymphs literally suck the life out of trees and can kill the tree.

They have appeared in big numbers inside the beltway this year. Please kill them if you see them, and also try to remove and kill any egg masses attached to any tree.

I think they are rather pretty. Plus they don't actually kill trees.

There is some kind of bug that looks similar but is more read and is actually pretty. Lantern flies are really bland brown unless their wings are spread (squashed on the sidewalk....) so not likely that bug you're thinking of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went out onto my deck last night and there were about 30 dead ones on the floor that were not there the day before. Hopefully, this heat is doing them in.

Keep hoping. That's not what's happening.

OK, so what's happening?

For every dead one you see, there are many many more living ones that you don’t.

I don't see other dead bugs lying around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lantern Flies are awful invasive insects from China. Their nymphs literally suck the life out of trees and can kill the tree.

They have appeared in big numbers inside the beltway this year. Please kill them if you see them, and also try to remove and kill any egg masses attached to any tree.

Gross. I refuse to squash a bug. How messy.

[Anonymous]

They are kill on sight. They decimate vineyards and many other vines. They are horrible jumpers at all ages and love to land on you and go home with you. Kill them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They rarely if ever kill trees. The only exception is the Tree of Heaven, which are invasive. They can damage some crops though. That’s the main concern. So if you’re not a farmer they’re really just a nuisance.

No, they love Tree of Heaven, but unfortunately don't kill them, just use them for breeding.

We should eradicate both Tree of Heaven and speed lantern flies.

For the tree apparently you do need to dig it up or use herbicide after cutting it down, just on the spot where it was cut, otherwise it will likely resprout.

Sometimes they recommend keeping the male tree to gather the lantern flies in one spot and make them easier to kill. Who knows.

We have a place in WV on 8 acres that’s about half wooded and has a few trees of heaven. The lantern flies invaded these parts before (as in a couple years before) the inner counties of the DMV and DC itself. We considered getting rid of the trees of heaven but ultimately didn’t do it. The lantern flies have done no damage to any of the trees on our property and already seem to be less abundant than last year and the year before. I’ve stopped worrying about them.

[Anonymous]

Colleague's rose bushes at his house were killed by Lantern flies in less than 1 week. He took photos and the Ag Extension agent confirmed they were Lantern flies. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went out onto my deck last night and there were about 30 dead ones on the floor that were not there the day before. Hopefully, this heat is doing them in.

Do you have milkweed? It poisons them.

Interesting. All of the nymphs I could see in my yard were on the milkweed. They seem to love it.

They do. But it is poisonous to them. Since they aren't native to where the milkweed is native, they don't know that - yet. So if they were indeed lantern fly nymphs and they were all dead after being on the milkweed, hooray!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They rarely if ever kill trees. The only exception is the Tree of Heaven, which are invasive. They can damage some crops though. That’s the main concern. So if you’re not a farmer they’re really just a nuisance.

This is my understanding as well. At first we thought they were going to kill a lot of trees and crops, but they actually haven't been that big of an issue.

You do understand that bugs travel - they don't just stay in your backyard garden? So they are a nuisance whether or not you are a farmer. They are more harmful to specific crops like grapes. Just because they don't harm your personal flowers and trees does not mean they are safe and not a concern.