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We can 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 last year — are already being spotted in their adult stage across the lower New York region.
“Lanternfly adults are starting to appear now in Suffolk County,” said Dan Gilrein, extension entomologist with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County. “The first ones were seen over a week ago in New York City, and eastern Long Island, of course, follows shortly after. As more adults develop, we expect to receive more reports.”
But there appears to be help on the way — in the form of predators that are catching on to an easy (well, maybe not that easy) meal. These things are known to hop.
Gilrein pointed to Penn State’s recently launched Birds Biting Bad Bugs Facebook page, where citizens are documenting observations of lanternfly predators.
“Spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that could be immensely damaging,” the page reads. “We are a research group at Penn State that is looking into which native predators could help control this destructive insect.”
What you’ll find there are charts listing praying mantises, wheel bugs, spiders and ants as among the top five predatory arthropods (that’s insects and spiders, in this case).
But new to the list this year is the often-annoying, sometimes-terrifying yellowjacket.
And Long Island certainly has plenty of those.
In this case, the enemy of our enemy just might be our new best friend.
“Yellow Jackets might be good after all!?” New Jersey meteoroligst Alex Calamia wrote Friday on social media, including Facebook and Instagram. “They’re an aggressive pest for us, but did you know they’re killing invasive spotted lantern flies!?”
He shared this photo of a yellowjacket versus lanternfly:
According to the Penn State Facebook page, 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.
“Keep in mind these are just ones people observe informally, and this is a partial list,” Gilrein said of the information being compiled and shared by Penn State researchers.
It’s too soon to tell if predators might have a major impact on populations, however.
These researchers from Penn State are confident, but stress predatory insects in particular are not an end-all solution.
Concurrently, postdoctoral researcher Eric Clifton at Cornell University is looking into the potential use of Beauveria bassiana, a type of native fungus that has been found parasitizing the lanternfly in Pennsylvania, according to Invasive Species Management Long Island.
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 safe.
“Around the East End, lanternfly numbers remain generally low or even unobserved in most areas, including vineyards,” Gilrein said.
Just like last year, vineyard managers are being told to remain on high alert.
But unlike last year, Gilrein noted, the public is no longer being asked to report spotted lanternflies sighted on Long Island.
Click here for more from the New York Department of Agriculture & Markets.
Top: Adult lanternflies. Credit: Penn State Extension. Inset: Yellowjacket photo by Олександр К on Unsplash
