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We can cry and stomp all we want, but we’re going to need some help controlling the spotted lanternfly.
These persistent, pervasive Asian insects — which began arriving in massive numbers in Nassau and Suffolk counties in 2024 — started emerging as adults last month across the lower New York region.
And they’re ruining walks, barbecues, and outlet shopping.
If only because they’re so gross.
But there appears to be help — in the form of predators that are catching on to an easy meal. (Well maybe not that easy; these things hop!)
Videos and photos on social media are pouring in from across Long Island and the Northeast, proving that yellowjackets have indeed been hunting and then feasting on these pests.
In our first exhibit, an Instagram creator documents an entire yellowjacket ambush on a lanternfly, during which a second yellowjacket hones in on the meal.
Even a scavenger ant gets away with a lanternfly leg, as you’ll watch:
So in this case, the enemy of our enemy just might be our new best friend.
“Yellow Jackets might be good after all!?” News 12 meteorologist Alex Calamia posted last summer to social media, along with a photo by Tony Siano. “They’re an aggressive pest for us, but did you know they’re killing invasive spotted lantern flies!?”
Here is that photo:
According to a Facebook group started by Penn State researchers in 2022, birds, insects and spiders are doing most of the heavy lifting in the battle against lanternflies.
The top five predator birds: chickens, cardinals, catbirds, blue jays and ducks. But mammals — including household pets — as well as fish, reptiles and amphibians, are also getting in on the action.
It’s too soon to tell if predators might have a major impact on populations, however.
But these researchers from Penn State are confident, though they stress predatory insects in particular are not an end-all solution.
While the lanternfly isn’t harmful to humans or pets, it poses a serious threat to gardens, vineyards, parks, and even local businesses. The adult insects, which typically emerge in late summer, represent the most destructive stage and pose the biggest risk to agriculture.
For now, Long Island Wine Country appears largely safe, according to a recent report in The Suffolk Times, which covers news in Southold Town.
Top: Adult lanternflies. Credit: Penn State Extension. Inset: Yellowjacket photo by Олександр К on Unsplash
Editor’s note: This story was updated from a similar Greater Long Island report published in 2025.
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