Erie County Times

Agriculture experts met at the Indiana County Conservation District this week to demonstrate how to use a trap that safely catches the invasive lanternfly, which has spread throughout Pennsylvania since its discovery in Berks County in 2014.

According to a release on April 7, Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russel Redding was joined by members of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Penn State Extension and members of the agriculture industry to show the trap that can be purchased or easily made at home. 

Currently there are 45 Pennsylvania counties under quarantine for the lanternfly, meaning it is prohibited to move the insect at any stage of its life cycle.

"There are no easy answers when it comes to the spotted lanternfly, and we understand that's hard for people to hear," said Rick Roush, dean of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. "Good research takes time, and funding, but we are making discoveries every day and are sharing those findings with the public and key stakeholders.”

The lanternfly circle trap is designed to eliminate large numbers of the invasive insect while not harming other pollinators or small animals. A trap can be created using plastic milk jugs, duct tape, screen wire, twine, hot glue and gallon-sized storage bags. The traps also can be found in agriculture and nursery supply stores. To learn how to build a trap, log onto the Penn State Extension website.

While lanternflies don’t survive the winter, they lay egg masses of 30 to 60 eggs that are covered with a muddy protective coating. People who find these masses are instructed to destroy them. The release said lanternflies should be dealt with by “trapping and squishing them.”

“If you live in a quarantine zone for the spotted lanternfly, you know well by now that they're a nuisance to outdoor life and are destructive to plant life," Redding said. "Through research, public-private partnerships, and boots-on-the-ground efforts, we have learned more about this pest and how farmers, business owners, homeowners and communities can best manage it.”

For more information about lanternflies log onto agriculture.pa.gov/spottedlanternfly.