11 states want to exterminate Lanternflies, but some take the bug’s side

[+ FreshFluff]

NYT article: https://t.co/w5hjsNbimI

Jody Smith, 33, a software developer, so far has declined. Mr. Smith is vegan, yet not an absolutist: he will exterminate cockroaches in his apartment in Manhattan’s Union Square, he said. But the state-endorsed bloodlust when it comes to lanternflies, and the sense that they are disposable, makes him uncomfortable.

“If someone was like, ‘Oh, we have to kill all the Pomeranians, people might feel a lot differently about it,” Mr. Smith said.
 

 

 

 

Edited August 23, 2022 by FreshFluff

[+ FreshFluff]

Am I the only one who found this hilarious?

[nate_sf]

I hadn't heard of lantenflies until this post. So I googled and found the NYT article that the photo above comes from:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/21/nyregion/lanternfly-bugs.html

My favorite part of the story is the woman who encountered two lanterflies on a playground slide:

Karen Charles, 31, has gone out of her way to avoid harming them. Ms. Charles, a YouTube content creator from Parlin, in Central New Jersey, was playing with her two-year-old daughter atop a playground slide when she found her way down the ladder blocked by two lanternflies. “It was go down this slide or kill these bugs, and I don’t want to stomp on them,” she said.

Stopping her was a mix of fear and pity, she said. “They’re creepy, I hate them, but feel a little bad for them — and for me,” said Ms. Charles. She ended up squeezing down the slide alongside her daughter.

Of course I scoop up spiders that I find in the shower so they don't drown, but I'm not sure what I'd do if I came face-to-face with a lanternfly!

[+ WilliamM]

As a resident of  Pennsylvania, I am not a fan of lantenflies  -  they jump so it is difficult to  figure out where they will jump next

[+ azdr0710]

I wonder if the NY Times photographer told Jody to look all serious and worried.....or if he's always that way. 

I also had never heard of lanternflies. 

Thanks for this @FreshFluff

[+ sync]

This is the first I'm aware of lanternflies. Until I had read the particulars, I was thinking they were    lightning bugs/fireflies. 

[+ purplekow]

Lanternflies are not native to this area they are an Asian based insect.  The are destroyers of crops and have already done serious damage to the NY apple and the NJ tomato crops.  They do have some predators here in the US but they are becoming more and more common and killing them before they multiply and doing so without pesticides seems preferable to the chemical alternative.  

It is surprising that a vegan would not be on the side of  fruits and vegetables.  I am fairly sure that if he were growing his own produce, the killing of these invaders would not offend his delicate sensibilities quite so much.  I usually do not kill insects in my home, rather I capture and release but these insects seem to be quite a hazard to the production of food.  

Reportedly they are pretty difficult to kill as they are quick and elusive. 

Edited August 23, 2022 by purplekow

[+ FreshFluff]

TBH, when I come across any insect, I guide it onto a paper towel and put it outside. I’m currently in a high rise so they might fall, but at least I won’t crush them. 

There are exceptions. I was once awakened by a noisy flying thingy that was cruising the ceiling.  I crushed it with a broom handle. Sleep is important.

[wsc]

I had never heard of lantern flies until I saw a recent article in the paper, complete with photos. They look to be a pretty insect, but the science has labeled them invasive and destructive, so their fate seems sealed.

Several years ago, I had an infestation of ants; I don't know why. I laid out so-called traps, then watched them in the bathroom as I sat to do my business and saw the ants walk past the traps, sneering. I then went all chemical on them (spray). I pity invasive species until they invade my space. Then, it's a wholly different matter, and my rule becomes, take no prisoners.

Each Spring, carpenter bees invade the overhangs of my balcony, drilling their holes in the wood and leaving the floor covered in their sawdust and the walls decorated with their poop. I love bees and know they provide a valuable service as pollinators. I tried to reason with them, explaining the mess they make and my difficulties with cleaning up after them, but they remained intransigent. So, I used fabric-reinforced duct tape to cover the surfaces and, if necessary, entomb those that had already made their holes.

And the others of them seem to carry a grudge, buzzing me like Zeros on December 7 as I sit on my balcony. It makes me feel a little less guilty about my own personal role in "insecticide."

BTW, a woman two floors down has a small dog, although not a Pomeranian. I'm just glad it can't fly or climb. Otherwise ... all bets are off.

[Jarrod_Uncut]

I thrive in the summer, with the longer days and warmer temps. However, the bugs in general make it close to miserable 😖 Especially in the Midwest and South. But pretty much everywhere. Even in the mountain west, I’ve had to chase moths and stink bugs  out during the summer.
 

Where I live now, the house/stable flies are insanity. It’s hard to enjoy a BBQ at ground level. I can put out a fly trap that catches 10,000 flies supposedly, and it’ll be full within a week or 2. Friends who have Outdoor spaces on rooftops seem to avoid bugs. 
 

Not to mention the mosquitoes. For a couple days I was worried I may be coming down with monkey pox. But nope, just skeeter syndrome. It can certainly be a nuisance.

[+ sync]

Every year I am invaded by hordes of ladybugs.

They are so cute and harmless I've tried humane evictions to no avail.  Now it's Raid for the "raid."

[+ Charlie]

Every biting insect in the world seems to be attracted to me. Although I wear socks all the time, whenever I go out early in the morning to walk the dog, things I can't even see attack my legs; at the moment I have nasty bites on my ankles from something that must be able to bite through my socks.

The other day the tennis court I was playing on was crawling with ants. I asked the other players if they would be offended if I stomped on the ants, but no one was willing to defend ant rights, so we finished our match with many tiny spots on the court.

I will kill any insect I find in my house, except spiders, because I know they are usually my friends in the insect wars. However, one time when I was sleeping in a hut in a national park in Tasmania, I woke to find spider bites on my stomach; apparently, they had nested in the bed I was sleeping on. That severely tested my tolerance for spiders, because the bites were ugly and took weeks to heal.

If I find any lanternflies on my property (unlikely), they will not find refuge with me.

 

[+ WilliamM]

2 hours ago, Charlie said:

Every biting insect in the world seems to be attracted to me. Although I wear socks all the time, whenever I go out early in the morning to walk the dog, things I can't even see attack my legs; at the moment I have nasty bites on my ankles from something that must be able to bite through my socks.

The other day the tennis court I was playing on was crawling with ants. I asked the other players if they would be offended if I stomped on the ants, but no one was willing to defend ant rights, so we finished our match with many tiny spots on the court.

I will kill any insect I find in my house, except spiders, because I know they are usually my friends in the insect wars. However, one time when I was sleeping in a hut in a national park in Tasmania, I woke to find spider bites on my stomach; apparently, they had nested in the bed I was sleeping on. That severely tested my tolerance for spiders, because the bites were ugly and took weeks to heal.

If I find any lanternflies on my property (unlikely), they will not find refuge with me.

 

Lanternflies  jump together which isn't much fun when they jump on people outside here in Pennsylvania, thanks

[+ FreshFluff]

22 hours ago, nate_sf said:

I hadn't heard of lantenflies until this post. So I googled and found the NYT article that the photo above comes from:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/21/nyregion/lanternfly-bugs.html

My favorite part of the story is the woman who encountered two lanterflies on a playground slide:

Karen Charles, 31, has gone out of her way to avoid harming them. Ms. Charles, a YouTube content creator from Parlin, in Central New Jersey, was playing with her two-year-old daughter atop a playground slide when she found her way down the ladder blocked by two lanternflies. “It was go down this slide or kill these bugs, and I don’t want to stomp on them,” she said.

Stopping her was a mix of fear and pity, she said. “They’re creepy, I hate them, but feel a little bad for them — and for me,” said Ms. Charles. She ended up squeezing down the slide alongside her daughter.

Of course I scoop up spiders that I find in the shower so they don't drown, but I'm not sure what I'd do if I came face-to-face with a lanternfly!

I do this too. The worst is when they get wet and can’t move some of their legs. I feel horrible after that happens.
 

The slide story is hilarious!

[+ azdr0710]

For those who seem to attract little insects to their ankle area, Avon Skin So Soft can be very helpful. 

[+ Charlie]

On 8/23/2022 at 8:50 AM, Charlie said:

Every biting insect in the world seems to be attracted to me. Although I wear socks all the time, whenever I go out early in the morning to walk the dog, things I can't even see attack my legs; at the moment I have nasty bites on my ankles from something that must be able to bite through my socks.

The other day the tennis court I was playing on was crawling with ants. I asked the other players if they would be offended if I stomped on the ants, but no one was willing to defend ant rights, so we finished our match with many tiny spots on the court.

I will kill any insect I find in my house, except spiders, because I know they are usually my friends in the insect wars. However, one time when I was sleeping in a hut in a national park in Tasmania, I woke to find spider bites on my stomach; apparently, they had nested in the bed I was sleeping on. That severely tested my tolerance for spiders, because the bites were ugly and took weeks to heal.

If I find any lanternflies on my property (unlikely), they will not find refuge with me.

 

Well, wouldn't ya know?!! This morning while walking my dog on a residential street, I was attacked by a swarm of killer bees, who stung me multiple times on my legs. It's a good thing I am not allergic to bee stings, or I would have ended in the ER instead of urgent care. No sign of lanternflies, though they might have urged the bees on after reading the above post. [Note to editors: please don't move thread to Politics forum.]

[+ WilliamM]

On 8/23/2022 at 7:51 PM, FreshFluff said:

I do this too. The worst is when they get wet and can’t move some of their legs. I feel horrible after that happens.
 

The slide story is hilarious!

Here in Philadelphia, the "cute" guys can not fly up to the fifth floor   where I live. Perhaps they could study at the University of Pennsylvania

[+ sync]

1 hour ago, Charlie said:

Well, wouldn't ya know?!! This morning while walking my dog on a residential street, I was attacked by a swarm of killer bees, who stung me multiple times on my legs. It's a good thing I am not allergic to bee stings, or I would have ended in the ER instead of urgent care. No sign of lanternflies, though they might have urged the bees on after reading the above post. [Note to editors: please don't move thread to Politics forum.]

Good that you survived.  How did your dog fare during/after the attack?

[+ Charlie]

57 minutes ago, sync said:

Good that you survived.  How did your dog fare during/after the attack?

He chased a couple of the bees, but they pretty much ignored him and concentrated on my legs, especially my white cotton socks, which they stung right through.

[+ sync]

24 minutes ago, Charlie said:

He chased a couple of the bees, but they pretty much ignored him and concentrated on my legs, especially my white cotton socks, which they stung right through.

There must be something unique in your body chemistry that is alluring to insects.

Overall, it seems you and your dog did well in this instance.

I've read that killer bees have been known to chase people for more than a quarter of a mile. 

[MikeBiDude]

4 hours ago, Charlie said:

attacked by a swarm of killer bees

@Charlie I’m curious how these were identified as killer bees? vs. an angry swarm of “normal” bees.

[+ Charlie]

I don't know that they were "killer" bees versus "normal" bees, but the killer bees are more likely to attack without cause, while "normal" (i.e., honey bees ) usually leave you alone if you don't do something to disturb them.