Seen the spotted lanternfly?
April’s Not Wanted column detailed the invasion of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula), considered the worst plant pest since the spongy moth (formerly gypsy moth). Since 2014 it has hitchhiked into a dozen states via egg masses attached to trains, lumber and other moving objects.
There were no reported sightings in Granby in 2022, but nearby towns accounted for some of the over 400 confirmed SLF cases in the state. We can stop this bug from wiping out our precious vineyards, orchards, gardens and forest trees by recognizing it and taking action.
In spring and summer, spotted lanternfly nymphs are shiny black with white spots and, later, red markings; they are seen creeping up stems and eating everything. In late summer and early fall nymphs become adults, colorful and mothlike, up to two inches across, and fly short trips in search of their favorite food, tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima).
If you see them, take action. First, take a picture and send a note to ReportSLF@CT.Gov Then destroy them—squish them, use a vacuum cleaner to collect them and seal in a plastic bag, or burn them. If they are creeping up a tree, attach a sticky tape band above them to trap them as they move up. An effective homemade trap was developed in Pennsylvania where SLF was first detected; plans and instructions are at GranbyInvasivePlants.Weebly.com
Tree of Heaven is a dangerous invasive on its own, doubly because of its most-favored food status for this invasive bug. In June, a half dozen Granby volunteers tackled a big cluster at Holcomb Farm and girdled them all.
Girdling is a gradual but effective killing strategy for the kind of tree that responds to being cut by multiplying, sending up shoots 10 or 20 feet away.
Using a hatchet, hammer and chisel or power saw, girdlers cut through the bark and living tissue, all the way around the trunk, to interrupt the fluid that flows from the roots to the leaves and back down. June is optimal: roots have spent resources to launch new leaves, and been minimally replenished. It will take a few years to completely kill the trees with repeated girdling and no poison. Fewer trees of Heaven means fewer spotted lanternfly.
The progress—weakening, withering leaves—is visible from Simsbury Road, south of the main Holcomb Farm buildings, on the west side of the road, behind the woodchip piles.
What we can do for you
The Granby Conservation Commission launched this campaign in 2019 with three components, and we are now adding a fourth.
First, this Not Wanted column provides information, along with public presentations at local gatherings such as Granby’s Juneteenth Celebration. Second, the website GranbyInvasivePlants.Weebly.com holds Not Wanted columns, lots of great resources and photos. Third, over 50 people have participated in Invasive Action Days, held the second Saturday morning of every month and have made tremendous progress in visible public spaces clearing invasives, saving magnificent trees, and growing and planting native alternatives.
We have sometimes received and responded to homeowner requests to identify invasive and native plants and suggested ways to restore balance to the land we all steward. People usually say, “I think I have a lot of bittersweet/barberry/MF rose but I’d like to be sure.”
We have tremendous plant smarts and energy among the Invasive Action crew. If you would like a visit from one of our skilled volunteers, use the form at GranbyInvasivePlants.Weebly.Com We will be in touch to share what we’ve learned so far in this long struggle.
