Leave Your Weeds to Kill The Worst Bugs in New York

One of the gnarliest creatures the New York area has ever had to deal with is the lanternfly. We've all seen the videos of people doing their best to trap and eliminate their invasive critters that don't seem to quit.

And it turns out letting our zone 6 perennial gardens grow a little wilder may be the answer.

Spotted lantern fly in New YorkPhoto byMagi KernonUnsplash

Milkweed, the perennial week better known for attracting and feeding monarch butterflies, is downright poisonous to lanternflies—and could be our best asset in the fight against their spread.

Milkweed is a wildflower growing all over North America, but especially along the roads of New York and New Jersey. The flowering plant known for tall stems and pastel pink and purple blooms attracts spotted lanternflies with its sweet latex-rich sap.

Milkweed plantPhoto byLasclayonUnsplash

The sap contains a toxin that poisons and kills the insects. Feeding lanternflies that don't die immediately end up lethargic and unable to function normally. They're caught by hungry predators or fail to reproduce.

Next time you find these popping up in your yard, don't pull them immediately. Leave a few in place for the monarchs to feed and the lantern flies to meet their demise. Protect, or mark them off with garden stones and you'll be all set.

Have your own gardening wisdom for the Northeast that you'd like to share? Drop your thoughts in the comments section below.