Lantern fly hatch in central PA is back

[troutbert]

My youngest has tied a few of them for our next trip to the Harrisburg area. (Am I allowed to call that South Central PA?)

Yes, Harrisburg is in south central PA. It's not in central PA.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Continuing the hijack: Considering the vast majority of PA residents live along the East-West Turnpike, the perception that Harrisburg is central PA is understandable, if geographically inaccurate.

 

[CLSports]

To get back on topic, I have not seen a lantern fly in SE PA in almost 2 years now it seems. I know they are still around in certain locations south of here. What changed? Are birds or other animals eating them or have they been controlled with chemicals? I hope the former.

I tied up my lantern flies and can't even use them anymore . . .

 

[5alp]

To get back on topic, I have not seen a lantern fly in SE PA in almost 2 years now it seems. I know they are still around in certain locations south of here. What changed? Are birds or other animals eating them or have they been controlled with chemicals? I hope the former.

I tied up my lantern flies and can't even use them anymore . . .

In the Philly area I see them much more rarely than I did 2-3 years ago when they were seemingly everywhere. Got to think some animal took a liking to them.

 

[Shawn Joseph]

People are thinking it looks more like a hornet because it's an invasive German yellowjacket as opposed to our native eastern yellowjackets. They are much more yellow.

The native yellowjackets nest in the ground. The german yellowjackets nest in buildings (walls, attics, etc).

I have a nest of these invasives going into an electrical receptacle on the side of my house. Now that I know they’re not natives I am calling the exterminator. 😂

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

I have a nest of these invasives going into an electrical receptacle on the side of my house. Now that I know they’re not natives I am calling the exterminator. 😂

Hi Shawn,
It's possible (even probable) that the bees are in the walls behind the receptacle, correct? Before paying a pro, you can try using any jet-shooting flying insect killer. Just before dark (when all the bees should be in the nest) cut the power to your outdoor receptacle. Then spray the entry from about 5-6 feet away. As the can empties, move closer so the juice is going directly into the hole. The next morning, you should see a crowd of dead bees on the ground. Use some insulating foam (like "Good Stuff") to fill the void in the wall. The foam will surround and harden around the nest. You can just cut away the foam that oozes out.
I successfully used this method when we had bees coming out of a tiny opening around an HVAC condensate 1" drain pipe. (The pipe exited the house through the block foundation.
Regards.

 

[dryflyguy]

Back to lantern flies:
Seeing lots of them around the Burgh.

A few months ago, they got into my wife's herb garden.
I killed 6 of them on her Basil plant.
But they left something behind on the leaves that caused them to turn brown.
Afraid to eat any of it now.

There is a huge silver maple tree at the top of our driveway, where I park my truck.
With lots of the flies on it
When I went to drive it one day, the windshield was almost completely covered with a sap like goo.
So bad that I couldn't even see out of it.
Guess they secrete something that drips down, because I've never had this problem parking there before

 

[Wetfly01]

Just started seeing them last week in Cambria Co and killed a half dozen of them.

 

[Shawn Joseph]

Hi Shawn,
It's possible (even probable) that the bees are in the walls behind the receptacle, correct? Before paying a pro, you can try using any jet-shooting flying insect killer. Just before dark (when all the bees should be in the nest) cut the power to your outdoor receptacle. Then spray the entry from about 5-6 feet away. As the can empties, move closer so the juice is going directly into the hole. The next morning, you should see a crowd of dead bees on the ground. Use some insulating foam (like "Good Stuff") to fill the void in the wall. The foam will surround and harden around the nest. You can just cut away the foam that oozes out.
I successfully used this method when we had bees coming out of a tiny opening around an HVAC condensate 1" drain pipe. (The pipe exited the house through the block foundation.
Regards.

Yeah buddy, I tried that already. The entrance to the hive is in a tough spot behind the receptacle. The receptacle is recessed into the house. I appreciate the advice.

 

[Shawn Joseph]

Back to lantern flies:
Seeing lots of them around the Burgh.

A few months ago, they got into my wife's herb garden.
I killed 6 of them on her Basil plant.
But they left something behind on the leaves that caused them to turn brown.
Afraid to eat any of it now.

There is a huge silver maple tree at the top of our driveway, where I park my truck.
With lots of the flies on it
When I went to drive it one day, the windshield was almost completely covered with a sap like goo.
So bad that I couldn't even see out of it.
Guess they secrete something that drips down, because I've never had this problem parking there before

It’s essentially lantern fly urine that’s covering your car. They suck the sap out of the trees which makes their urine very sugary. Over here in Montgomery county we had them bad several years ago. Now I barely see any.

 

[dryflyguy]

Yeah buddy, I tried that already. The entrance to the hive is in a tough spot behind the receptacle. The receptacle is recessed into the house. I appreciate the advice.

I had a similar problem earlier this summer.

Yellow jackets nested behind the siding on my house - going through the opening on the bottom of the corner piece to get in.
I sprayed that hole for weeks with bee killer. But they just kept coming in and out.
My wife wanted me to call an exterminator.

But I decided to try something different.
I have a bottle of ant/termite killer concentrate. I mix it with water, and spray around the house foundation once a year.
I sprayed it full strength on a small rag and stuffed it into the opening - at night when it was safe.
Figuring they now had to fly on or through that extra strength killer.

A few days later, they were gone.
I left that small rag in the opening to keep any from coming back.
But haven't seen any there since - almost two months later.

And I spent the money I saved by not calling in an exterminator, on new waders!
Good luck

 

[Shawn Joseph]

@dryflyguy that’s a great idea! I’ll give it a try with the soaked rag.

 

[tomgamber]

We have a few spotteds here in Westmoco now but a whiffle ball bat is all that has been required so far.

 

[krayfish2]

Last year, it was a biblical type of plague here north of Harrisburg. Saw 2 this year but saw lots of hornets searching for them. Been having those giant european hornets hanging out by my deck light at night doing some hunting.

The only time I saw numbers of them was while on the Susky bass fishing well above Harrisburg. Good numbers of them but the fish didn't recognize them as food.

 

[Shawn Joseph]

Last year, it was a biblical type of plague here north of Harrisburg. Saw 2 this year but saw lots of hornets searching for them. Been having those giant european hornets hanging out by my deck light at night doing some hunting.

The only time I saw numbers of them was while on the Susky bass fishing well above Harrisburg. Good numbers of them but the fish didn't recognize them as food.

Several years ago, here in SE PA, we were LOADED with them. Every year since then there has been significantly less and less. I think I saw one this year. According to Penn State they deplete a food source and move on. I guess that would explain their westward migration. Im not an expert though lol.

 

[GHM]

Several years ago, here in SE PA, we were LOADED with them. Every year since then there has been significantly less and less. I think I saw one this year. According to Penn State they deplete a food source and move on. I guess that would explain their westward migration. Im not an expert though lol.

I live about 15 miles east of Pittsburgh and I am still smashing dozens a day. I’m catching plenty smallmouth on a lantern fly pattern I came up with.

 

[wgmiller]

Several years ago, here in SE PA, we were LOADED with them. Every year since then there has been significantly less and less. I think I saw one this year. According to Penn State they deplete a food source and move on. I guess that would explain their westward migration. Im not an expert though lol.

I'm in Mount Joy (Lancaster County) and this year they seem to be largely absent, save for a few. I do believe there is some merit to the notion that they expand outward and essentially disappear from an area. Given how prolific they are when they inhabit an area, it's pretty incredible they can just pick up and leave town for the next season, but perhaps that's what they do. Not gonna lie that swatting them with a fly swatter was fairly therapeutic, but I can certainly live without them!

 

[riverwhy]

I'm in Mount Joy (Lancaster County) and this year they seem to be largely absent, save for a few. I do believe there is some merit to the notion that they expand outward and essentially disappear from an area. Given how prolific they are when they inhabit an area, it's pretty incredible they can just pick up and leave town for the next season, but perhaps that's what they do. Not gonna lie that swatting them with a fly swatter was fairly therapeutic, but I can certainly live without them!

I thought they were totally gone from my yard but found about half a dozen on a wild grape vine growing up on the railing of my patio. 2 years ago was really bad on my birch tree but that tailed off significantly last year.

 

[riverwhy]

FYI I am in Hershey. Also, looks like my vine is called Porcelain Vine but is in the grape family.

 

[krayfish2]

After not seeing any all summer in the Dauphin area, I had 3 on the back of the house Saturday. Back in August, I encountered clouds of them blowing out onto the Susky 25 miles north of me.

They don't appear to be overly agile in the air. Think they get altitude and on windy days, they are carried miles before they get their ugly asses back on the ground.