Blue Marsh Lake Area Spotted Lanternfly Research, 2022 Frequently Asked Questions

What is the spotted lanternfly and why should we be concerned about it?

The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive insect from Asia that was first found in North America in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 2014. The pest has since spread to at least 45 Pennsylvania counties. It has also been detected in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio.

At risk are agricultural commodities — including grapes, tree fruit, nursery plants and hardwood lumber — as well as natural habitats, parks, and backyards.

What is being done to stop the pest?

To manage spotted lanternfly populations and keep the pest from spreading, Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and Penn State Extension are researching the insect’s biology and behavior, evaluating management tactics, and educating growers and other businesses, local officials, and the public on this pest. Meanwhile, our partners, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are also working to manage populations in high-risk areas to limit further spread.

Several methods are being used to help manage the pest, including application of insecticides, removal of egg masses, placement of traps on trees and removal of preferred hosts, including the invasive plant, tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima).

What is the purpose of the spotted lanternfly research at Blue Marsh Lake?

Blue Marsh Lake Recreation Area, a 6,200-acre park in Berks County, Pennsylvania, will be the site of the 2022 research project. The overall goal of this project is to find an improved way to control spotted lanternfly and to protect the public and natural resources and understand the immediate and long-term impact on non-target insects, such as pollinators.

When, where and how will the research be carried out?

The project will begin in July and continue into the fall. The research will be contained to two acres of land in the 6,200-acre park. The study site is remote and not typically frequented by park visitors, apart from seasoned hikers and hunters.

The project will have minimal impact on the public areas of the park most frequented by visitors. Signs will be posted at entry points 72 hours in advance of applications and remain for 48 hours after the application.

Researchers will field test the two most effective insecticides to control spotted lanternfly populations, as well as assess impacts on non-target organisms such as bees and other pollinators. The two insecticides will be compared using ground equipment for a single, one-time application: dinotefuran and bifenthrin, a neonicotinoid and pyrethroid insecticide, respectively.

Do these products present a danger to humans or insects?

Dinotefuran has been used for many years to control forest, landscape, and agricultural pests. Bifenthrin has been increasingly used to target spotted lanternfly populations along rail lines and ornamental plantings due to its high level of effectiveness and the long-lasting activity of this product after being applied. There are concerns about the effects of these insecticides on honeybees and other beneficial insects, especially when misused. Part of this research will examine these concerns to understand the impact that areawide spotted lanternfly control programs using foliar sprays would have on the environment.

The research team is taking measures of arthropod biodiversity over time to understand the full scope of possible non-target effects before using these control methods on a larger scale.

Researchers from Penn State’s Center for Pollinator Research are included in the study to compare the effects of the insecticides on nontarget species, most notably pollinators such as bees and flies.

Has a study on spotted lanternfly been done before at Blue Marsh?

In 2020, a similar study was carried out at the Blue Marsh Lake area, evaluating ground- and aerial-based applications of a natural fungal biopesticide, Beauveria bassiana, and the neonicotinoid dinotefuran. In that study, the biopesticide did not offer sufficient control of spotted lanternfly even with multiple applications, but dinotefuran gave excellent control for at least three weeks.

Across all treatments, intensive sampling of approximately 50,000 insects found minimal non-target impacts on pollinators and predators from dinotefuran.

In 2021, foliar applications of bifenthrin and dinotefuran were compared for efficacy on spotted lanternfly using ultra-low volume ground equipment mounted on pickups provided by USDA-APHIS.  Complete spray coverage of the plots was not achieved as hoped, but the pyrethroid bifenthrin appeared to give better and longer control of spotted lanternfly than the neonicotinoid dinotefuran.  Impacts on bees and other non-targets from this trial were inconclusive because of the lack of complete spray coverage despite evaluating another 50,000 insects within the spray plots.

In addition to this project, scientists from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Penn State Extension are part of a team working to develop biological and chemical controls and other methods to detect and manage spotted lanternfly populations around homes, parks, building, nurseries vineyards and fruit farms.

Projects include studies on disrupting the lanternfly female reproductive cycle; testing of organic control methods and natural insect predators; investigations of the pest’s flight behavior, where it might travel and the conditions it needs to flourish; and research on its feeding preferences.

What agencies are involved in this study?

Project partners include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Pennsylvania Game Commission; U.S. Department of Agriculture; the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture; Dr. David Biddinger, research entomology professor at the Penn State Fruit Research & Extension Center in Biglerville; and John Rost, lab supervisor, Penn State Berks campus. Their support of this project is vital for finding solutions to sustainable spotted lanternfly management.

Will the community receive updates on the study?

The public will be kept informed of the project’s status through media outreach and on-site communications (e.g., signage). Additionally, more information and updates are available at the Penn State Extension Spotted Lanternfly website. Specific questions about the project can be directed to the College’s spotted lanternfly hotline at 1-888-4-BADFLY (1-888-422-3359) or BlueMarshSLF@psu.edu.