Lantern fly hatch in central PA is back

[Sharknado5]

A friend who grows grapes near Boalsburg, Centre County, saw SLF on his vines last week. So they're there.

 

[bdhoover77]

I crushed three SLFs over the weekend while at my son’s soccer game. I crushed a couple more on the golf course. Please don’t feel like you need to call me a hero.

I assume it’s only a matter of time before the fish key in on them. I guess the only bright side to harmful invasive insects is they are big bugs that should make for interesting dry fly takes.

 

[Jay_H]

I know this thread is a bit old, but rather than starting a new one I was wondering if anyone has seen any this year?

Last year (in Adams) I had them everywhere. So far this year I’ve seen a few, but nothing too crazy yet.

 

[jifigz]

I've seen some nymphs around, but not too many.

 

[5alp]

only seen one in SE montco. Been wondering if some animal has a found a taste for them

 

[dryflyguy]

Have only seen a few around here so far - knock on wood.
Maybe it's still kinda early for full emergence though.
I can't remember when they peaked last year

 

[jifigz]

Have only seen a few around here so far - knock on wood.
Maybe it'd still kinda early for full emergence though.
I can't remember when they peaked last year

Yes, I think it's early for the adults..

 

[Bamboozle]

I hope the rest of you experience the same thing we did as we were the actual ground zero (my township and the adjacent township) for the infestation.

As a matter of fact I could TAKE you to the place that inadvertently brought them to the US...

That being said, years three & four (2017, 2018) were the worst and the last six I probably saw a total of 4 SLF...

I don't know why except possibly because I bought one of these:

Bug-A-Salt

Insect hunting as sport has entered the 21st Century with Bug-A-Salt. Our insect eradication devices fire ordinary table salt to kill pesky flies. We ship to all 50 states. Fast Shipping. Fire your flyswatter!

www.bugasalt.com

 

[jifigz]

I just checked the Ailanthus trees at my parents' place.. There were some adults there, but not many..

 

[troutbert]

I just checked the Ailanthus trees at my parents' place.. There were some adults there, but not many..

Kill the ailanthus. If ailanthus were eradicated, I think the lantern fly populations would crash.

I heard that a few lantern flies were spotted in Centre County, but I haven't seen them here yet.

 

[jifigz]

Kill the ailanthus. If ailanthus were eradicated, I think the lantern fly populations would crash.

I heard that a few lantern flies were spotted in Centre County, but I haven't seen them here yet.

No way. From my amateur perspective, that's false.

First of all, there are Trees of Heaven EVERYWHERE. Getting rid of them isn't going to happen.

Second of all, lanternflies are very at home on maples. The silver maples along the river will be covered with them until sometime in October.

My parents' farm is bisected by the main line railroad. The lanternflies have been spreading all along the tracks and across the country. They are clinging to the train cars. All along the rail line was the first place they've popped up in Mifflin County.

I don't think they are going to be very damaging, really. There are far more concerning invasives.

 

[wildtrout2]

I don't think they are going to be very damaging, really. There are far more concerning invasives.

I agree. Much ado about nothing from what I've seen. About four or five years ago, I was seeing them in the woods while bow hunting. Not a ton of them, but they were noticeable for sure. Now, I'm almost never seeing them when I go in to check my trail cams in those same woods.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

Too bad none of the blights or invasive bugs kill Bradford pear trees.

 

[wildtrout2]

Too bad none of the blights or invasive bugs kill Bradford pear trees.

A chain saw is the only answer there, but they'll sucker out and regrow if the stump isn't ground out.

 

[jifigz]

A chain saw is the only answer there, but they'll sucker out and regrow if the stump isn't ground out.

Yep, cut and then dose the open wounds with herbicide.

 

[dryflyguy]

My neighbor had a ailanthus tree cut down on their property early this spring.
We'll see if that makes any difference.

I have a huge silver maple tree on the edge of my property that was loaded with them last year.
Haven't seen much on it so far

 

[Bamboozle]

...My parents' farm is bisected by the main line railroad. The lanternflies have been spreading all along the tracks and across the country. They are clinging to the train cars. All along the rail line was the first place they've popped up in Mifflin County...

Back in 2014 when they first appeared in our township, any vehicles parked outdoors were SUPPOSED to be quarantined...

Most locals found that request a bit comical as the old East Penn RR (now NS) from Allentown to Philadelphia via Reading bisects the county and can see 65 trains a day, not to mention truck traffic on I-78.

Needless to say we went to town meetings and were assured by the experts that containment was possible...

As far as the ailanthus trees go, back in the early days if you found a suspected egg mass you could call or email a hotline number and some Penn State Extension folks would come to your property and do an inspection.

I had the Penn State folks on my property when I thought I found an egg mass. It turns out it was something else nor did they see any ailanthus in that immediate area. However, the following year they were all over some maples on my property...

Now nothing...

BTW - If anyone is interested, I know a couple of Berks County guys who are selling some really nice Spotted Lanternfly imitations really cheap.

 

[wildtrout2]

I'm guessing about five years ago, I noticed them seeming to really like grape vine. While hunting, I saw them all over the vines. I've seen VERY few of them since then. This is Delaware county I'm referring to.

 

[DaveKile]

I've seen them all over Phoenixville for a couple of weeks now. I still find Stink Bugs more annoying.