Spotted Lantern Flies

Hi, I’m fighting a daily battle with these bugs on my outdoor plant. I’ve been spraying Neem oil according to the package directions but the bugs seem to come back after an hour or so. This is the only plant they seem obsessed with but I have seen a few on my resting on my fence.
Now the lower leaves inside have started turning yellow and I’m not sure if it’s the bugs, the Neem oil or too much rain, etc. Anyone have experience with these bugs?

Captain Jacks Dead bug, or any spray with Spinosad in it. Its safe and natural but works well.
Amazon has it.

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Thanks, I’ll give it a try!

Just curious. How did the spray @Spiney_norman recommended work out? Spotted lantern flies are nasty and killing lots of trees here.

The spray doesn’t kill them instantly and it doesn’t stop them from coming back onto the plant as soon as I walk away. It could be new ones coming but it’s really hard to tell. I caught one this morning in a glass jar and put a cheesecloth cover in it to test killing it. I sprayed it and it appears dead but I’m waiting to see if it’s just faking, lol.

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The active ingredient is a natural bacteria (Spinosad) that once ingested paralyzes the bug so its not an instant kill. Its extremely effective and has no effect on pets or humans. Plus with a bud wash you can insure your weed is clean if you wish. The drawback to spinosad is that it will kill bees as well. So its use commercially is banned for that reason. Most of us grow inside so its not an issue for us but outdoor growers may think twice before using it if your garden has lots of bees.

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My outdoor plant is away from any flowering shrubs or plants and it’s a good sized yard so hopefully I didn’t kill any bees. I do think this stuff works and I probably just have so many that it didn’t seem like it at first. It really is a constant battle.

I know, its a wonder bugs dont rule the world.

So, I gave up on sprays and bought a fruit tree netting bag. I hosed the plant off good, added 4 tall spikes to keep the bag off the top of the plant, and piled dirt around the bottom of the bag. So far, no bugs have made it inside and they’ve migrated to a smaller plant nearby. If this works, I’ll buy another bag for the smaller plant. It’s not much to look at but I don’t really have any other choice. The sprays only work for a few minutes and the bugs are right back at it. I probably won’t plant outside next year.

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Each year is different with bugs just like weather.
I lost a cherry tree to Japanese Beetles a couple years ago and this year I have not seen but 1 beetle.
If you have the extra beans try again.

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Last year we had only a handful of spotted lantern flies, so we killed them as we saw them. This year, the whole neighborhood has them everywhere so it’s going to be something we have to deal with for a while I think. I’m in the Mid Atlantic area but they’re spreading. We need a natural predator to take them out, lol.

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Yes, and since you have a food source in the lantern flies a predator will emerge. Lets hope it happens fast. I have to grow indoors because of Missouri’s laws. Outside is allowed but you have to keep them fenced in and out of sight and I just cant make that happen yet. Inside present its own issues and bugs can be a problem if you get them. Had spider mites on my first grow and those are hard to get rid of.

Try to use Spinosad at dusk so the bees aren’t even around :green_heart: