Spotted lanternflies are swarming Connecticut. Will nature fight back?
Spotted lanternflies have become a familiar sight across Connecticut, gathering in large numbers and leaving residents wondering whether the invasive insects are here to stay.
While spotted lanternflies are now reported in all counties and almost all Connecticut communities, experts say evidence suggests their numbers could eventually decline as predators, diseases and other natural controls catch up with the relatively new arrival.
The spotted lanternfly arrived in Connecticut in 2020 but has appeared in especially large numbers over the past couple of years. The insects do not pose a threat to people, children, or pets, but large clusters can be a nuisance and leave behind a sticky residue.
The insects can also pose agricultural concerns, particularly for grapes. But Katherine Dugas, a research technician at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, said homeowners generally should not be concerned about established trees in their yards.
“In a landscape there isn’t really any evidence they are causing any harm to a healthy, mature, landscaped tree,” Dugas said.
The sheer number of lanternflies, however, has residents looking for answers. Dugas said the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has been fielding calls from people asking what they should do when the insects appear.
“A lot of times questions are, what do I do, it’s here… help,” Dugas said.
No established public program exists for eliminating spotted lanternflies or their preferred host known as the tree of heaven.
One clue about what could happen next in Connecticut comes from farther down the East Coast.
Spotted lanternflies have been established in Pennsylvania for roughly twice as long as they have been in Connecticut, and their numbers there are beginning to drop off. They were first introduced to Pennsylvania in 2014. Dugas said ecosystems can adapt over time as natural checks on the insects emerge.
“There is evidence over time the ecosystem will adjust. There are predators, there are diseases, fungal diseases, parasites, parasitoids, other little checks and balances that will come into play,” Dugas explained.
One factor helping spotted lanternflies thrive is the tree of heaven, an invasive tree that was established in communities long before the lanternfly arrived. The tree is native to parts of China and Taiwan.
Sara Kuebbing, with the Forest School at the Yale School of the Environment, said the tree is well suited to survive in urban environments.
“It’s durable, it’s hardy, it can be drought-tolerant,” Kuebbing said, adding, “It’s part of our urban landscape in the eastern United States for a long, long time.”
For Connecticut residents who want to take action in their own backyards, identifying and removing the tree of heaven could help. But getting rid of the tree can require repeated efforts.
“It’s not a one-and-done treatment; you have got to cut, you may need to go cut again,” Kuebbing said.
She suggested consulting with a professional before tackling the tree. There are treatments to assist in eliminating it, but she said to understand it’s a battle, and it won’t completely eliminate the pest.
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