Spotted Lanternflies Now Hatching In NJ: Here's How To Trap Them

NEW JERSEY— While the pandemic has turned society upside down, and as election and social unrest hit the Garden State in waves over the past year, it may have been easy to forget about another, more inconspicuous element that has been lurking in the cities and the woods of New Jersey since 2014.

The invasive spotted lanternfly has been catastrophic to the environment and economy in many parts of our area, and the threat exists for an even more profound impact on industries and ecosystems into the future.

The bad bugs hatch at the end of April or early May, officials say, so it's prime time to keep an eye out for them and destroy them at all costs. The more eggs that are killed now, and the more lanternflies trapped and killed now, the fewer there will be later in the summer.

The state wants New Jersey residents to help take part in stopping the spread of the spotted lanternfly that's prompted a "quarantine" in eight New Jersey counties to prevent the spread of the bug.

"As the temperatures begin to warm, and more people are outside on their own properties we are asking them to look for and destroy spotted lanternfly egg masses," New Jersey Department of Agriculture Secretary Douglas H. Fisher said. "The more of these egg masses that can be eliminated now, means there will be less of this nuisance pest later in the spring and during the summer."

But fortunately, we're not helpless in this fight. There's a way for every citizen to battle back against the invasive critter. Sticky bands wrapped around trees are used to good effect, but the problem is that these traps also trap other creatures, including good bugs, and even small birds.

Building or purchasing a safer and more effective trap is fairly straightforward, as Penn State Extension explains.

"This new style trap is made of plastic-coated insect screening and does not use any sticky material at all," the university says. "It is basically a tunnel that SLFs walk into. When they move upward in the trap, they end up in a dead-end collection container where they die."

Precise instructions on how to build the trap are on the Penn State Extension page. You'll need a few basic supplies: a rectangle of a window screen, a few pieces of wood (11 x 1 and 18 x 1), some wire, plastic milk jugs, duct tape, stapler, hot glue, and other minor pieces.

Nymph and adult spotted lanternflies cause extensive damage when they feed on vegetation, sucking sap from stems and leaves and causing the plant to ooze and weep. Not only does the plant die but the "fermented odor" caused by the feeding, along with the fluid excreted by the insects themselves, promotes mold growth and draws even more insects, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This is not only devastating for the environment, but has a huge impact on several of the state's major agricultural industries.

In addition to this trap, residents should always kill spotted lanternflies when they're seen. Egg masses are easy to identify and should be scraped off. Use a putty knife, credit card, or other firm, blunt-edged tool to scrape.

The dangerously invasive spotted lanternfly has been spotted in Camden, Cape May, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Burlington, Salem, Somerset and Warren counties, with Cape May and Gloucester among the newest additions to the list, state officials say.

Three years ago, the bug was found in only three counties. Patch readers have reported seeing the pest in Morris, Sussex and Essex counties as well.

Eight of the counties have been "quarantined;" Cape May has not. That means businesses and the general public in the quarantine area have been required to obtain and fill out a New Jersey residence checklist before moving any of the articles listed here.

The quarantine also requires people and businesses to inspect their vehicles for hitchhiking spotted lanternflies and inspect outdoor items such as firewood, paving stones and lawn equipment for egg masses when they travel or move those items to areas outside the quarantine area, state officials say.

While the spotted lanternfly is not a threat to humans or animals, it is known to feed on numerous types of vegetation.

One of the potentially damaging things this bug can do is prey on dozens of types of crops and trees, and they reportedly can attach themselves to the bark of Christmas trees to lay their eggs and multiply, state officials say.

Spotted lanternfly egg masses hold between 30-50 eggs of the invasive species. One sign to look for to see where lanternfly has been is a black sooty mold on a tree. The spotted lanternfly prefers the Tree of Heaven, which is common in New Jersey.

NJDA and USDA crews have combined to treat more than 20,000 acres and have destroyed thousands of egg masses on nearly 600 properties throughout this past winter season.
The spotted lanternfly is native to Asia, but arrived in the U.S. in Berks County, Pa., on a shipment in 2014. The species has been advancing ever since, causing Pennsylvania to have 34 counties currently under quarantine.

To learn more about the spotted lanternfly and what to do if you find them on your property visit the website and check out the video below.

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