The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is advising residents on safe ways to manage spotted lanternflies, warning against using sticky traps, glue traps, insecticides, or harmful homemade mixtures, as these can unintentionally harm birds, pollinators, and other wildlife. Instead, officials recommend using circle traps to capture the insects and encourage residents to report sightings across the state to support research and management efforts.
Per @MarylandDNR on Twitter/X: “It’s important to manage spotted lanternflies, an environmentally harmful invasive species. But methods to kill or stop the spread of these insects should not come at the cost of the ecosystem we’re trying to protect. State officials and biologists warn that many methods and products aimed at curtailing spotted lanternflies have unintended fatal consequences for other wildlife.
Don’t use sticky tape or glue traps. These traps—often placed on trees, balconies, or other outdoor areas—can negatively impact beneficial insects as well as birds and other animals. Similarly, insecticides are not a good bet. There are no insecticides that exclusively target spotted lanternflies (despite some products that are marketed as such), and over-using insecticides can kill pollinators, introduce harmful chemicals to your yard, and be detrimental to the nearby environment. It’s best to leave insecticides to professionals. Homemade mixtures with bleach, vinegar, dish soap, water, and salt will also do more harm than good…