The Surprising Method Experts Swear By to Eradicate Spotted Lanternflies for Good
So, it’s that time of year again—the dreaded spotted lanternfly season is officially here. You might not have spotted the flashy adult bugs swaggering around your neighborhood yet, but chances are you’ve seen their younger selves—the black-with-white-spotted or red-and-black nymphs—just biding their time before adulthood. These little invaders hail originally from Asia and rolled into Pennsylvania back in 2014, and guess what? By July 2025, they’ve crashed the party in 11 states with no signs of slowing down. Now, here’s the kicker: they don’t bite, but they sure know how to wreck havoc on your local plants, especially grapevines, leaving a sticky mess that encourages mold growth. Experts agree—these pests need to go, pronto—but with their ninja-like leaping reflex, squashing them is trickier than it sounds. Lucky for us, there’s a genius hack involving just a plastic water bottle that makes evicting these uninvited guests a bit less gruesome—and a lot more doable. Ready to outsmart the swarm?
Spotted lanternfly season is officially upon us. If you’re not seeing the adult planthoppers in a neighborhood near you, you may have seen them as nymphs in their third (black with white spots) or fourth (black and bright red with white spots) instar, so adulthood is just around the corner. These invasive insects are native to Asia and first popped up in Pennsylvania in 2014; as of July 2025, there are 11 states reporting active infestations, with more surely on the way.
Spotted lanternflies won’t hurt you (they don’t bite), but they can decimate native plant life, particularly grapevines, and their waste (known as honeydew) can cause mold to grow. Experts agree that they should be killed in any matter possible: As the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture once put it, “Kill it! Squash it, smash it … just get rid of it.” But that can be easier said than done: According to Smithsonian, when spotted lanternflies sense movement, they instinctually leap into the air, which can make stomping on them difficult. (It helps to attack from the front because they’re not great at launching themselves backward.)
