Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) is a destructive pest. Worse yet, it’s spreading quickly. There’s a lot at risk. PA’s orchards, vineyards, and nurseries are in danger. Plus, SLF threatens the trees in your own yard.
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Spotted Lanternfly is a concern for anyone who has trees and wants to enjoy their yard. Among its many evils, this pest harms trees, damages property and attracts stinging wasps.
Giroud offers systemic and topical treatments for Spotted Lanternfly control on your trees. Additionally, you can take many “Do It Yourself” actions.
Learn More! Download our Spotted Lanternfly Fact Sheet.
Spotted Lanternfly is a dangerous, invasive pest. It’s a menace in our yards as well as for any business that relies upon trees.
Damage to Our Yards
This pest multiplies rapidly, attacks trees in swarms and has a voracious appetite. It also produces sour smelling droppings that attract stinging wasps.
No Natural Predators
To make matters worse, SLF has no predators here to kill it! That’s because, this invasive pest is not native to the United States. It was accidentally brought into our region from China.
First discovered in the US in 2014
The pest made its first US landing in nearby Berks County in 2014. It has quickly spread across the Philadelphia region and into neighboring states.
Stopping this pest requires an all-out assault from both you and Giroud. Go to our Spotted Lanternfly Control page to learn more.
What is the best way to control this pest? Giroud has been working closely with Penn State, the PA Department of Agriculture and the USDA to determine the best treatments and timing for control.
Based on the latest research, Giroud’s SLF Program is a combination of targeted treatments and Tree of Heaven removal.
Dinotefuran and Bifenthrin yielded the best results. Both treatments kill on contact and have staying power.Get “Do It Yourself” (DIY) tips and more on Spotted Lanternfly Control.
Spotted Lanternfly is a beautiful pest. But, don’t let looks fool you. It’s is destructive, dirty, and multiplies quickly.
You need to be a real detective to identify this insect. That’s because it goes through several changes in appearance during its lifecycle.
Spotted Lanternfly Nymphs emerge from their eggs as small back bugs with white spots. Eventually, they will shed layers and becoe red with white and black spots.
SLF is most vulnerable to chemical control at this stage. As adults, wings develop and are the insect’s true tell-tale. With wings open, the underside shows bright red on patterns of black, white, and beige. An adult at rest, however, looks very different and muted in color with its wings folded down.
Adult females lay rows of eggs on tree trunks or any flat surface, typically on the underside where they will be safe from predators. She coats her eggs in a secretion that hardens and looks like gray clay. This provides a protective cover through the winter.
Learn more about What Spotted Lanternfly Looks Like!
Trees, property, and people are all affected by Spotted Lanternfly. From a few bugs to massive swarms that cover a tree, this pest can unleash incredible damage.
The trouble starts when Spotted Lanternfly taps into a host tree. It’s a voracious feeder that sucks tree sap like a straw.
But Spotted Lanternfly damages more than trees. While feeding, its droppings coat everything around the tree with a sticky sour-smelling substance that attracts stinging wasps.
Click here for more info about Spotted Lanternfly damage!
Spotted Lanternfly is not easy to control. The reality is that stopping this pest requires your active involvement.
What can you do? Actions depend upon where the pest is in its life cycle.
Among the most important controls are tree bands for Nymphs, chemical controls for Adults, and destroying egg masses.
Click here to see more pictures and to learn more about how to get rid of Spotted Lanternfly!
The following trees are at highest risk for attack by Spotted Lanternfly: Maples (especially Red and Silver), Willows, Walnuts, Japanese Snowbells, Birch, Locust, Grapevines and several varieties of fruit trees.* With SLF drawn to such a massive variety of trees, Giroud recommends protecting only high-risk trees that are most valuable to your landscape.
Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus), an invasive weedy tree from China, is a favorite host for Spotted Lanternfly. Ailanthus attracts SLF like a magnet and should be destroyed if it is on or near your property.
*The list of trees that SLF attack is based on Giroud’s experience managing this pest and lists compiled by the USDA and Penn State.
Spotted Lanternfly has spread throughout the Philadelphia area including Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties. It has also been found in neighboring states.
Is Spotted Lanternfly in your area? Check out our map showing where Giroud has seen reports of this pest!
If they are in your neighborhood, be alert. Go to our What Does Spotted Lanternfly Look Like page to learn how to check for them on your property.
Quarantines are in place to prevent this pest from spreading. The PA Department of Agriculture has created a map of the quarantine zone. The entire Philadelphia region is in the quarantine zone.
To conquer this pest, Penn State and the PA Department of Agriculture need to know where it is. Here’s what to do if you see Spotted Lanternfly.
Penn State Extension is hosting public meetings on this pest. The meeting includes updates on the threat and how you can help control the spread. Click here to find a local meeting.
Take the first step. Schedule a free inspection with your Giroud ISA Certified Arborist. Together, you can determine the best steps for control.