Later in the season, SLF adults feed voraciously on tree sap for weeks and research has shown that this can stress trees by reducing their energy storage for winter. Nymphs ingest less volume of tree sap than the adults, so a population of nymphs is thought to be less damaging than the same number of adults would be. To date, there is no reliable way to measure how much stress a certain amount of SLF causes on an ornamental plant and translate that to an action plan.Ī few SLF feeding on a healthy tree is probably not a big concern for the long-term health of that tree. Also, large numbers of SLF nymphs feeding have caused wilting on herbaceous plants and branch dieback on some trees. We have only observed SLF killing Ailanthus altissma (an invasive weed tree), grapevines, and small tree seedlings. To date, we have not observed SLF killing otherwise healthy ornamental trees in landscapes. ![]() Do not use home remedies because they may harm plants and beneficial insects and they may also be toxic to humans. Use only EPA registered insecticides approved for the site (this is required by Pennsylvania pesticide laws.) Always read and follow the label directions. If you decide to use a chemical (an insecticide), use the least toxic but effective option. Penn State recommends using an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach, first taking the numbers of SLF present into account and then using cultural, mechanical, biorational, and as a last resort chemical management tools to achieve the desired level of control. Some things you should take into account are: the number of SLF present, if they are on a preferred host plant where they are likely to remain or if they are on a plant they will move away from after a shorter visit, the size and health of the plant, the presence or absence of preferred host plants in the landscape, and the life stage of SLF. That said, there are many things to consider before deciding to use an insecticide to kill SLF on landscape trees or shrubs. ![]() ![]() Spotted lanternfly (SLF) nymphs and adults are both fairly easy to kill with insecticides even the less toxic insecticides like soaps and oils can work well.
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