Trees tend to be a stable presence in our lives, so it’s easy to forget they need care and attention each season to ensure proper growth. Jacob Burns, an arborist for the West Columbus Davey Tree office, says the spotted lanternfly – a pesky invasive species new to central Ohio – should be on your radar this season.
“This is an invasive species; that means there are no natural predators for it and it goes crazy on everything,” Burns says. “The closest county it’s been to us has been Fairfield County, so it is getting closer, especially to the Grove City area.”
Lanternflies lay eggs in April and May, and their nymphs – which are black with white spots – emerge in late spring. As they mature, they turn red and don black spots. Because of typical pest maturation cycles, the USDA officially declared August Tree Check Month. They won’t bite or sting humans; they are only a physical threat to plants around your home.
“They go after certain species,” Burns says. “One of them is a non-native species, which is the tree of heaven or the ailanthus tree. But it also attacks your roses, your vines, your fruit trees if you have any. Sometimes fruit trees can be your crab apples or your flowering cherry trees.”
Davey Tree
Spotted Lanterfly young nymp
If one of your trees is infested with lanternflies, you will see the warning signs. Weeping wounds, or gashes dripping sap, will begin appearing on the bark. Some homeowners have noticed leaves starting to sag, which can also be a common symptom of heat stress in late July and early August.
Sap from weeping wounds attracts wasps and flies looking to feed. If you see any brown, cotton-like egg clusters on your trees, lanternflies have unfortunately chosen your yard as a breeding ground.
“You can scrape (egg clusters) off and then you can double-bag it in freezer bags and throw them away, or you can also place the eggs in alcohol or hand sanitizer to kill them too,” Burns says.
Pennsilvania Department of Agriculture, www.bugwood.org
Spotted Lanternfly Egg Mass
Soil injections are available that will kill the flies once they feed on the tree.
“That’s the best way to do it – the only thing you can do is treat them preventatively,” Burns says. “It is a devastating insect, (but) it’s nothing like the emerald ash borer or the Asian longhorn beetle, it’s very treatable and they’re more specific on the plants they’re after.”
Burns says treatment is not very expensive, so it’s best to get on it right away if you are noticing signs or find lanternflies.
“They’re totally different from what anything around here looks like,” he says. “The damage is not real quick, it takes a little bit of time. So once you spot it, then you have time to treat it.”
Be vigilant!
Pennsilvania Department of Agriculture, www.bugwood.org
Feeding Damage
Arborist Jacob Burns says being proactive is the key to ensuring your trees’ well-being.
“The mulch is one thing, but keep them fertilized. We have a fertilizer program, we fertilize them in the spring and the fall,” Burns says. “Just keep them healthy so they can handle the stress – it’s just like us taking vitamins, the healthier we are the more we fight off colds and infections. Same thing with trees and plants.”
A simple eye test is often sufficient to know if something is wrong.
“Check for insects and just look at the overall appearance of the tree. (When you) start looking at it, it might (have) off-colored leaves. It might be yellowing, deficient of iron and manganese,” Burns says.
Since domestic trees aren’t receiving nutrients from decomposed natural debris as they would living in a forest, they need supplementary resources to stave off threats.
“When it starts getting hot and dry out, like in July and August, don’t be afraid to go out there and get ‘em watered a little bit more than (the normal) sprinkler system,” Burns says. “The sprinkler system, even though you might have it on for 15, 20 minutes every three or four days, your grass soaks that up faster than any plant will get it. Maybe turn it on once in a while for a little bit longer and that will help trees deal with the heat stress and the lack of water.”
Tyler Kirkendall is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at tkirkendall@cityscenemediagroup.com.
