Just killed my first Spotted Lantern Fly.

[skypilot]

I've been hearing on the news that they are infesting some areas over here on the East Coast but I've only just started to see them where I live. We're being told that we should kill them on sight. Tried stepping on one last week and discovered how fast they are. They see you coming when you try to step on them and they will hop right out of the way. Just saw one outside the library where I work and it took me three attempts to get the little bastard. I had to stand near it and distract it with one foot in order to stomp it with the other. One down.

[samnsara]

1. ..heeeeelllllp meeeeeeee ;)

..are they smaller than regular house flies?

[skypilot]

2. No.

They are about the size of a moth. Kinda cool looking but invasive.

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[enough]

3. We have a lot here (Chester County PA).

We have learned from much trial and error that you can kill them by hand quite easily if you come at them from the side. You can clap them between two hands or even get them on a tree trunk if you slap from the side. If you swat from above they move incredibly fast.

[skypilot]

4. I live in Montgomery County PA.

The one I saw last week was in Ardmore but the one I killed today was on the campus of Upenn. Thanks for the info about coming at them from the side.

[Marie Marie]

5. I've squashed about 5 of them. They are everywhere.

[skypilot]

6. They seem to be hardy little things.

After I stepped on the one this afternoon I lifted my foot expecting to see bug goo but the damned thing looked almost intact. And I really stomped down hard. I ended up stomping on it again just to make sure.

[Kali]

7. interesting

preferred food is heaven trees, also a destructive pest.


do the bugs smell? many leafhoppers stink.

[skypilot]

8. I haven't heard anything about them being smelly.

The one I killed didn't emit any odor. They just seem to be numerous and fast and the red underwings warn off predators. Didn't work on me though.