What Types of Trees Are Being Affected by Lantern Flies
The spotted lanternfly, native to Asia, has spread to several US states including Pennsylvania. These invasive pests can cause significant damage to trees and vegetation if left untreated.
Trees most commonly attacked include black walnut, river birch, tree of heaven (Ailanthus), tulip poplar, willow, and black cherry. If you have any of these species on your property, it pays to know the early warning signs of a lanternfly problem before the population on a single tree turns into an infestation across the yard. Homeowners who spot the issue early can usually reach our office and get a treatment plan scheduled before real damage sets in.
You can identify spotted lanternflies by their distinctive appearance: black heads, yellow abdomens with black bands, approximately 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide, with black wing tips and transparent gray forewings. Their egg masses are about 1 inch long and 3/4 inch wide, appearing as gray splotches that look like cement or mud. Properties around York see a lot of this activity each fall, and a tree that has been feeding lanternflies all season often shows disease symptoms that call for a closer look and possible spraying.
Treatment options include insecticidal soap products, capturing with plastic bottles, and wrapping trees with sticky paper or duct tape. For severe infestations, professional tree spraying from certified arborists is recommended, and pairing that with a preventative spraying schedule keeps the eggs from coming back next spring. Lewis Burns Tree Service has been providing expert tree services since 1968 and can help protect your trees from lanternfly damage.
