starfireelvis Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 I don’t know if this is appropriate; if not, please delete and advise. But it is a legitimate topic of discussion, as it was on nearly everyone’s mind (and of concern) last October at the Fall Hershey event. Good Lord willing, I will be 60 by the time Fall Hershey arrives this year, but in all of my 59 previous years, I had never heard of, much less seen, these nuisance moths or whatever that are called “lantern flies” until last fall. And these pains in the rear ends were EVERYWHERE—including on the show field, to the extent that I had to keep my windows up on my car and my trunk and hood closed the entire day, following judging. It wasn’t even five minutes until my vehicle was judged when someone looking at my car noticed one of them on the carpet in front of my front seat. They were all over the swap meet area as well. I am not posting this to discourage or scare anyone off from attending, but seeing as we have several months before the big show, perhaps some preventive action can be taken to reduce or eliminate this not so small nuisance. I just want for everyone to be able to enjoy the wonderful event we all know and love without this being the topic on everyone’s mind this fall. Again, if this is being addressed, let us know, and if it not appropriate to discuss here, at least the word has been spoken and action can be taken. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billorn Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 They are a invasive pest that eats everything and screws up crops but they are harmless to people and cars other than just being everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenie Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 Hmmm, I spent the whole week there and only saw them in front of the Giant Center. Chances are they will have subsided by October. If you must worry about something, pick left over Atlantic hurricanes. They are more likely to rain on our parade. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The 55er Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 Here in central PA lanternflies are everywhere from the backyards to the parks to the downtown streets from mid-summer to about the first Fall frost. There were plenty of them in my swap meet spaces. I don't think anything can be done about them, we just try to step on 'em or smash 'em with a flyswatter whenever possible. Hopefully in a few years they'll be gone. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 2 hours ago, The 55er said: Hopefully in a few years they'll be gone. Is there seriously some possibility of that? I can't imagine how you would begin to eradicate them, or even stop the spread. I looked my car over real good as I drove west from PA hoping not to bring any back with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old car fan Posted May 23 Share Posted May 23 2021 was worse, last year chilly and rainy first couple days.Like everything else evasive, originated in China. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcslr Posted May 23 Share Posted May 23 Lantern flies are invasive and detrimental to fruit crops - especially pome fruits and grapes. Mr Bloo is spot on. Legally, ( not sure how it could be enforced) if one travels in a quarantine area and then leaves, an inspection of the vehicle is necessary to avoid transporting them to other areas. The legal authority is the Dept of Ag in this case - they want to protect - as long as possible - the spread. It is also just smart. Interestingly, West Nile Virus spread across US followed the interstates - or rather the positive reports very closely were aligned to the interstate system. It was hypothesized that 'hitchhikers' especially on trucks were the vector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dl456 Posted May 23 Share Posted May 23 Please check all your packages and vehicle before leaving for home and kill them on site. These s.o.b.'s are spreading rapidly and likely nothing can be done but we have to try. We killed several clinging to the motorhome leaving Hershey last year. In Ohio now only several counties away. We have yet to recover from the emerald ash borer which decimated our forests. To keep it car related, we need ash wood to rebuild our antique car bodies. Do what you can. Dennis 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topblissgt Posted June 26 Share Posted June 26 I dont remember seeing any on the show field last year. We had a car there too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuickTom87 Posted July 13 Share Posted July 13 I have yet to see any of these in nyc or Long Island maybe soon. I guess it’s a good thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The 55er Posted July 13 Share Posted July 13 Lanternfly report: I was at Hersheypark yesterday (July 12) and didn't see any........ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted July 30 Share Posted July 30 When the flies, mosquitoes, flying stinging varments become pesky I take off my shoes and socks. The insects disappear or curl up and die all around. Fortunately, only the insects are affected. Folks sit right down beside me and do not say a word. Matter of fact in really bad cases of mosquito infestation I take off my shoes and socks and draw a crowd of people. My car is classified in 25 F. If you see a fellow sitting by his car barefoot stop by and sit a spell. Turbinator 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted July 30 Share Posted July 30 On 6/25/2023 at 8:44 PM, topblissgt said: I dont remember seeing any on the show field last year. We had a car there too They sure as heck could have had some of those portable toilets spread a little more. AND a few more liquid and food vendors spread out. I had a car there as well. It was a gorgeous day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted August 3 Share Posted August 3 The lantern flies were terrible last year. We were just talking about them the other day. I havent seen one to date! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old car fan Posted August 3 Share Posted August 3 49 minutes ago, TAKerry said: The lantern flies were terrible last year. We were just talking about them the other day. I havent seen one to date! Yes,after the cold rain, and the sun came out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buick35 Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 Sounds like love bugs here in Florida which come out in spring and fall. They weren't bad this year though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 The red lantern fly started in the summer as one part of their life cycle. They were literally everywhere last year. Could not take 5 steps without seeing a hundred! I have yet to see ONE this year. There was a lot of press about them as well. Havent heard anything either. Hopefully they didnt survive the winter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moskowitz Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 Yep, have not seen one in Hershey yet. They were all over my house last year. Supposedly they come out July-December. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 I heard a news report a couple of days ago. Apparently they've moved to Ohio. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 I spoke too soon. Cutting grass tonight, something started crawling up my neck. Yep, Red Lantern Fly. Im an hr south of Hershey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARRYCAROL Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 We are seeing them in NE New Jersey. Not a lot but they are here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 Any suggestions to help those who attend Hershey and have not experienced the lantern flies before in the possible quantity that can occur? Anything to do, long sleeves, , a spray on arms, clothes like you can do for mosquitos? Just want people attending for the first time to be prepared for anything to make the once a year Hershey extravaganza the best it can be. ( please don't say eat more chocolate!!) Maybe swat them away with the show /fl;ea market program? Hey a new souvenir - a Hershey car show lantern fly swatter- with a year on it so you can get to collect one each year from now on. 🤩🙃 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 Do lantern flies actually do anything? They seem to be the most incompetent bugs ever created. I watched them constantly flying into the lamp posts and tree trunks and then crashing to the ground. They don't bite or sting. They just kind of sit around and when they fly, they do it slowly and erratically. Nobody's in any danger unless you're a plant. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 When i was in Hershey last year just after labor day, they were so thick in places you would be stepping on them as you walked. Crunch... Crunch... Crunch... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray62 Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 Unfortunately the Spotted Lantern Fly is an invasive pest that is quite destructive to various plants and trees, per the USDA website: The Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is native to China and was first detected in Pennsylvania in September 2014. Spotted lanternfly feeds on a wide range of fruit, ornamental and woody trees, with tree-of-heaven being one of the preferred hosts. Spotted lanternflies are invasive and can be spread long distances by people who move infested material or items containing egg masses. Juvenile spotted lanternflies, known as nymphs, and adults prefer to feed on the invasive tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) but also feed on a wide range of crops and plants, including grapes, apples, hops, walnuts and hardwood trees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 Walt, they are nothing more than a nuisance to the human, as posted much more destructive to the flora and fauna. The authorities have said to kill all you can. So if you see them stomp them out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuickTom87 Posted August 14 Share Posted August 14 They are all over NYC and Long Island . They randomly appeared out of no where Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhillyFordGuy Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 I envy those for whom this is a top concern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray62 Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 41 minutes ago, PhillyFordGuy said: I envy those for whom this is a top concern. For someone who makes their living operating an orchard or a vineyard, these invasive pests are a top concern, and they can be spread easily when vehicles, products, equipment, etc. are moved from infected to uninfected areas. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhillyFordGuy Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 22 minutes ago, Ray62 said: For someone who makes their living operating an orchard or a vineyard, these invasive pests are a top concern, and they can be spread easily when vehicles, products, equipment, etc. are moved from infected to uninfected areas. Fair enough, Ray. I guess I learned something there. Sorry if I woke up a bit snarky today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray62 Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 56 minutes ago, PhillyFordGuy said: Fair enough, Ray. I guess I learned something there. Sorry if I woke up a bit snarky today. No worries PhillyFordGuy, we all have mornings like that. I just want to make sure everyone understands that for the farmer they are a big concern and that we can all help by making sure we don't accidently transport them with us when we leave Hershey to travel back home. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 OK< when we are returning form Hershey before we leave what is the best way to make sure that there are none accumulated on our vehicles? try to get to a service area that has a air hose to use to possibly blow out at the undersides of the fenders? or .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray62 Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 Walt, Here is a link to the PA Department of Agriculture information on the Spotted Lantern Fly. My understanding is that you should look over your vehicle, trailer, etc. before leaving the area and just squash the buggers if you see them. It will take some extra time before you get on the road home, but the farmers in your home state will appreciate your effort. I can't imagine what the potential damage could be if these things spread across the country. All we can do is do our best not to hasten their spread. https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plants_Land_Water/PlantIndustry/Entomology/spotted_lanternfly/Pages/default.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted August 16 Share Posted August 16 Ray, Thanks. I live on long island east of NY city and my son says we have them here already - I haven't seen any. There are still farms on long island but mostly on the eastern end 60+ miles east of us. I appreciate the link you listed very much. Walt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkhammer Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 Last year after loading my enclosed trailer I tossed a bug fogger into it before I closed the door. Of course I'm just hauling used parts so no harm. I might not want to do that if I were hauling a nice car! I figure any on the exterior of the vehicle will likely not make it very far unless maybe they get under the hood. Not sure what to do about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumBob Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 I've seen them all over the area here in Northwestern NJ. I was playing an outdoor gig a few weeks ago, and they were landing on my cymbals mid-song. I try to kill them if I see them on the ground, but they hop away quickly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroPetro Posted August 26 Share Posted August 26 My friend spritzes them with ether or Brakleen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 Our shop and home are about 35 miles from Hershey.We have seen very few Lantern Flies this Summer. Not like last Summer when they were everywhere. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starfireelvis Posted August 28 Author Share Posted August 28 (edited) Thanks for all of the updates. Keeping my fingers crossed that these suckers stay away from Fall Hershey. A friend of mine who lives about 20 miles from there says he’s only seen one so far; however, they must be all over the Pittsburgh area, as I’ve seen three memes regarding their plentitude over there. Supposedly they’re supposed to be in Ohio as well, but I have yet to see a one of them where I live (Canton area)… Edited August 28 by starfireelvis Correct grammar (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John348 Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 On 7/13/2023 at 2:30 PM, BuickTom87 said: I have yet to see any of these in nyc or Long Island maybe soon. I guess it’s a good thing They have been on the North Shore of Nassau for the past two months. and in The Bronx as well. And Elvis you have a very Happy 60th Birthday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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