True confession: July is my third least favorite month behind February and August. I simply cannot seem to find the balance between the fun things that go on and my heat intolerance and suspected summer Seasonal Affective Disorder (it’s real for summer just as it is for winter!). Perhaps this year is the one where I find more joy than woe. This thought process led me to think of garden woes, and more specifically, garden pests.
I am sure that if you are a seasoned gardener, you are well aware of the trials of garden life, and which pests to avoid and how. I am still learning the ins and outs of this world and have discovered that there is so much more to learn! One garden pest that is new on the scene is the Spotted Lantern Fly (Lycorma delicatula). It would be astonishing to me if the image of those invasive critters didn’t flash across your mind at the mention of the name. While beautiful to look at, these insects are bad news for local crops and native plants.
Native to China and Vietnam, Spotted Lantern Flies have made their way across the globe to Japan, Korea, and, of course, the United States. Despite our best efforts to quarantine and squash these beautiful foes, they seem to be crashing through our ecosystem Kool-Aid Man style. What makes them so bad, you may ask? Any insect or plant that is not native to the environment they are in will cause an upheaval in a delicate system. With no natural predators, Spotted Lantern Flies have been able to breed fast and effectively to the point of completely covering the entire trunks of trees. They eat a wide variety of things, from trees to vines and even crops. Native birds find them not tasty as a snack, and therefore they go unchecked and repopulate beyond management. In addition to eating everything they see, they secrete a sticky, sweet substance that encourages the growth of black mold, which further damages the plants they inhabit. Sticky, greedy punks!
These little guys are excellent jumpers as both nymphs and adults. Adults have the added bonus of two strong wings to help them glide through the air (and often into your face, ugh). This, along with sneaky egg-laying tactics, has made these pests on the move. Originally discovered in Pennsylvania, they have now reached Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia.
So, how can we stop these tiny invaders from eating our plants and damaging our crops? The answer to that is as tricky as reducing their numbers. Because they are highly mobile critters, targeting them with specific pesticides is dangerous and not effective. They are never in one place long enough to ingest the poisons and fall off in droves! The best defense is one that you will rarely see me suggest: squish ‘em. Adults, nymphs, egg clusters, the lot. Spotted Lantern Flies cannot increase if we decrease them with our feet! For a time, it was helpful to report sightings and smashings of these fellows to your local county for tracking. Unfortunately, they are so prevalent now that most places no longer keep track because it is known that they are everywhere.
While there are many other garden pests to battle in the summer, Spotted Lantern Flies are quickly becoming one of the most common. Perhaps by taking some time to examine your yard, you can help reduce them in numbers by squishing them, vacuuming them up with a shop vac, or knocking them into buckets of soapy water. No matter the method, any efforts would be greatly appreciated by every hardworking plant just trying to grow in a hot and sticky world. Good luck, and happy gardening!
