Spotted Lanternfly Management

From the Environmental Commission

Franklin Lakes has been infested with the Spotted Lanternfly and residents are concerned about the future well-being of their private landscapes as well as the extensive wooded areas we all treasure.
The Environmental Commission has consulted with several licensed tree experts and they generally agree on the following:

• The Spotted Lanternfly favors the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus Altissima). The Tree of Heaven was introduced into the United States several hundred years ago and has proved to be very prolific, but the Tree of Heaven crowds out native species and secretes a chemical that is toxic to the soil and also surrounding plants. It is also very difficult to kill and requires treatment with an herbicide in order to do so. In other words, it is an invasive pest rather than an outright killer.

Tree of Heaven

• The Tree of Heaven does not kill other trees immediately, but it sucks sap from the affected tree and secretes honeydew which creates a mold that turns furniture and other outdoor items black. This thick secretion is very unpleasant.
• The tree experts to whom we spoke advised residents not to panic! The Spotted Lanternfly is here to stay, but its numbers and the resulting damage can be controlled by reducing the number of Tree of Heaven trees found in the Borough. There are pesticides presently available that can be applied to kill them. Chopping them down is no answer. They have a very vibrant and active root system which is almost impossible to destroy without the use of pesticides.
• Simple traps that catch the Spotted Lanternfly as it crawls up a tree can be built and attached to trees. Various forms of traps, in fact, are being used in some New Jersey towns, but that does not reduce the invasive Tree of Heaven trees that attract the unwanted and growing number of Spotted Lanternflies. One tree expert to whom we spoke suggested using a pesticide to get rid of a cluster of Tree of Heaven, but leaving a “trap tree” that will attract Spotted Lanternflies but make the infestation manageable since there is only one tree to attract them. View an instructional video on how to create Spotted Lanternfly trap.
• The Spotted Lanternfly is currently laying its eggs which are attached to trees. They are very distinctive masses that are gray in color. Using something like a sturdy but thin card, they can be scrapped from the tree and crushed underfoot. An unpleasant aspect, but very effective.

Summary:

Don’t panic! Spotted Lanternfly numbers can be controlled. Explore your property and vacant areas near you for the presence of one or more Tree of Heaven trees. Consider calling a tree expert about how to get rid of these pesky trees with their attraction to a growing number of Lanternflies.

By killing the Tree of Heaven trees we solve two problems:

For additional information on the Spotted Lanternfly, please visit the NJ Department of Agriculture website.