Lantern fly hatch in central PA is back

[mt_flyfisher]

That's what we had removed from our office last week. It was the size of a small turkey. They are extremely aggressive and attack relentlessly. Do not f with them. If you decide that you do want to mess with them, let me know so I can film it and then run you to the urgent Care

The nearest urgent care is about 5 miles but with the traffic it might take 15 minutes to get there. I’d probably be a gonner before we got there.

I gave the nest entrance hole a healthy shot of Raid wasp and hornet spray earlier this morning. “Kills the entire nest” it proclaims. I checked the nest out several minutes ago and didn’t see any activity - yesterday there were hornets going in and out continuously. I’ve got a strong urge to cut that nest down, but think I’ll wait a bit longer.

 

[wildtrout2]

The nearest urgent care is about 5 miles but with the traffic it might take 15 minutes to get there. I’d probably be a gonner before we got there.

I gave the nest entrance hole a healthy shot of Raid wasp and hornet spray earlier this morning. “Kills the entire nest” it proclaims. I checked the nest out several minutes ago and didn’t see any activity - yesterday there were hornets going in and out continuously. I’ve got a strong urge to cut that nest down, but think I’ll wait a bit longer.

You were hell bent on getting that nest, weren't you? lmao I'm glad you won the battle without getting stung.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

Just saw that Tucker Carlson is airing a show about the Lantern Fly Invasion on tonight's show - the ad came complete with ominous music and graphics.

 

[mt_flyfisher]

You were hell bent on getting that nest, weren't you? lmao I'm glad you won the battle without getting stung.

Yep, I couldn’t wait to take it down. Just like a little kid.

However, when I went back earlier this afternoon to cut the small tree branches that the nest was hanging on, the vibrations from my pole cutter sent a dozen hornets scurrying for the exit. Fortunately, none came my direction. Guess that can of Raid didn’t work all that well after all. So, I bought a fresh can of Black Flag hornet spray (guaranteed to kill ‘em in the nest or they’ll give ya your money back) and finished the job. I’ve got the nest sitting out front of my house right now, drying out from nearly a quart of that spray that I hit it with.

I also killed nearly a hundred lantern flies in those 2 maple trees today. As soon as I kill all that are there new arrivals just keep coming and coming.

 

[krayfish2]

Okay, another very cool thing that I got to see today. Plague of lantern flies blowing off the mountain side which is about a half a mile away. As I watch these things cover the building and begin their stupid upward crawl, I heard a bang on the glass. I took a couple of minutes to sit and watch things develop. As they are crawling up the windows of our office building, I'm watching these giant European hornets come in snatching them right off the glass. Occasionally taking one with enough gusto that there's a bang on the window. Tried to get some video on the phone but they were freaking out that I came up to the window and went to a different part of the building.

 

[JeffP]

Here is my nest. Last year's was much higher. Almost forgot to tell the HVAC guy.

 

[krayfish2]

I'm guessing that as long as the SLF population booms, we'll see a boom in hornets and wasps. They seem to be fond of them and the honey dew they are full of.

 

[dryflyguy]

Found and killed a lantern fly on my deck this evening.
They're definitely around the burgh now.

 

[pcray1231]

Found and killed a lantern fly on my deck this evening.

Sucks. But I still giggle at "A" lantern fly. My boys have made it a sport, and will jump on and stomp 50 in a minute or two when they get into it.

They really like the tires on my car. Yesterday after work I went out and counted 8 on the left front tire. And I'm careful to not park under trees, last fall my car got covered in that crap and it's heck to get off, though it did come off with some automotive clay.

 

[dryflyguy]

Sucks. But I still giggle at "A" lantern fly. My boys have made it a sport, and will jump on and stomp 50 in a minute or two when they get into it.

They really like the tires on my car. Yesterday after work I went out and counted 8 on the left front tire. And I'm careful to not park under trees, last fall my car got covered in that crap and it's heck to get off, though it did come off with some automotive clay.

First one I've seen at my place.
Unfortunately, lots more more coming, I guess

 

[wildtrout2]

Here is my nest. Last year's was much higher. Almost forgot to tell the HVAC guy.

It's THEM!

 

[salmo]

From doing a little bit of reading up, there are several wasp and hornet species that feed on lanternflies. At our East shore office in Harrisburg, two wasp nests in the entryway above the front door and just to the left in the flower bed, there's this gem. Looks like the booming population of lanternflies may also send the population soaring for some of our stinging friends. I offered my nephew $50 to hit it with a broom handle while I filmed it from inside the car. He's thinking about it 😁😂😂

That's just plain wrong.

 

[steveo]

Just saw that Tucker Carlson is airing a show about the Lantern Fly Invasion on tonight's show - the ad came complete with ominous music and graphics.

I always suspected that those dam latern flies were Democrats!

 

[tomgamber]

🙄

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

Scratching at this old scab...
MD Dept. of Ag. via our local news website, just notified Southern MD that ours and over a dozen other counties are now on SLF Quarantine. They even provided a checklist of items to inspect prior to moving - which for some reason did NOT include "kitchen sink."

 

[sixfootfenwick]

Scratching at this old scab...
MD Dept. of Ag. via our local news website, just notified Southern MD that ours and over a dozen other counties are now on SLF Quarantine. They even provided a checklist of items to inspect prior to moving - which for some reason did NOT include "kitchen sink."

What exactly does this mean?

They do know they fly and move around on their own and not spraying large swaths of private land for them means there is no stopping them?


You can inspect all things including the kitchen sink.
Go out put tape on all your trees, spray the ones you can reach killing them in the thousands every year, squash them when you see them etc etc etc...

And it will not stop or even slow them down 🤷

 

[pcray1231]

Agree they will spread naturally. But thats a county or two per year. The quarantine is more about not starting new populations in remote places. As it is, it might take 2-3 decades or something to get to Kansas by natural movement. But if someone transports a bunch of eggs to Kansas, it starts next year...

That said, quarantining is just real hard to do and I don't know how successful it will be.

 

[sixfootfenwick]

Agree they will spread naturally. But thats a county or two per year. The quarantine is more about not starting new populations in remote places. As it is, it might take 2-3 decades or something to get to Kansas by natural movement. But if someone transports a bunch of eggs to Kansas, it starts next year...

That said, quarantining is just real hard to do and I don't know how successful it will be.

It won't be, that's my point.
Unless the government itself takes serious action against them it won't do anything in the long run.

Spraying state park tress adjacent to private landowner trees left unsprayed is stupid.
The agencies fighting lantern flies will tell you they do this practice but it does nothing. They kill the flies on state forest land but the ones next to it repopulate the trees with in the month.

Waste of time and resources.

 

[sixfootfenwick]

As an example I know of a dozen or so farms in my area that requested help with them. They have them by the millions. Request was denied because it is private land.

As they damage crops and trees, compounding the situation farms can't afford to fix themselves.

But yeah, check your belongings before moving.

 

[Roofin' Trouter]

it will not stop or even slow them down 🤷

What are your thoughts on the "Super Pigs" invading from Canada? I read a few articles on that topic. Crazy stuff..