In my last post, I mentioned the Ailanthus or “Tree of Heaven” as an example of an invasive weed-tree that we find popping up in nearly every garden space and empty lot in New York City. 

Now there’s another big reason to spot and remove this tree: it’s host to the region’s newest invasive pest, the Spotted Lantern Fly. 

This new (slightly glamorous) pest prefers the Ailanthus so much that you can even use the tree as a trap to round up the bugs and get a lot of them at once. Our friends the DEC recommend taking the flowing actions if you see this bug or a whole colony in your local playground, park, or garden:

• Take a picture and email it to spottedlanternfly@agriculture.ny.gov
• Scrape off egg casings into a bucket of hot, soapy water or a baggie/jar of hand sanitizer.

You can also stomp to bug when it land on the ground. I personally struggle with squashing bugs so I’ll also be focusing on removing Ailanthus, egg casing if I see them, and perhaps dressing up in these glamour wings to educate others on the tricky bug this Halloween. 

Let us know if you see the Spotted Lantern Fly in your yard!