South Hills ground zero for spotted lanternflies this summer

We’re not quite at peak season yet, but the spotted lanternfly hasn’t been the invader it was last summer, at least around the City of Pittsburgh.

South of the city is a different story. We’ve seen some changes in the spotted lanternfly in that, where they are this year compared to where they were last year,” said Any Amrhein, owner of Evey True Value in Bethel Park.

Ground zero this summer is in the South Hills, places like Mt. Lebanon, Peters Township and into Washington County.

North, in Butler County down to Pittsburgh, it’s no where near as bad as it was last year. Ground zero in 2023 was in places like Oakland and the Strip District.

Amrhein tells KDKA Radio the lanternflies are not even on the radar screen this year, at least so far. That doesn’t mean people aren’t seeing the pest, they’re just not as prevalent.

But, we’re still a couple weeks away from peak season. The beginning of September is when the bugs are in their full adult stage.

Amrhein says they aren’t sure why south of the city is being hit harder than others this year compared to last but it’s still early.

“Does that mean they’re coming and they’re still a few weeks away and you’re going to see them? Time is the only thing that is going to tell us that,” said Amrhein.

The trend of less lanternflies is expected to continue as the years go by.

Amrhein says that natural predators, like birds, are starting to use them as a food source.

While large trees don’t appear to be greatly affected by the lanternfly when they suck the sap out if it, smaller plant life, like milkweed, can be killed.

If you are in one of the areas dealing with large amounts of lanternflies, Amrhein says there are a few products you can use.

One is “Harris Home Pest Control Spotted Lanternfly Killer”. It is not organic, but Amrhein says it kills the pests instantly and studies are showing the spray does seem to repel the bugs after sprayed.

If you want to take a more organic approach, “Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew” will kill the lanternfly, but it can take a couple minutes to kill them.

Amrhein says a lot of True Values, including Evey, carry the products. You can call your local True Value to find out more.