Spotted lanternfly adult activity update

Hello, everyone, Spotted lanternfly (SLF) development is about 2 weeks earlier than last year. INn 2023, first adults were seen on July 12, and in the grape-growing region of northern Virginia in 2024, June 29 (actually earlier farther east, June 12 in Richmond). Some vineyard high populations of fourth instars on Ailanthus trunks surrounding the vineyard. As adults appear in numbers, there will be immigration into vineyard blocks. There is a provisional action threshold of 5-10 adults given in the Pest Management Guide. This is likely to be conservative; unfortunately a multi-state proposal to provide a research-based action threshold was not funded this year.

A question has been asked of the advisability of removing tree of heaven (TOH) to help manage SLF. SLF is able to complete development in the absence of TOH, but does much better in its presence. It may be helpful to eliminate TOH from vineyard surroundings. However, in areas where SLF has been developing on TOH, this may not be the best time to remove those hosts, since it may hasten the movement of adult SLF into vineyard blocks.

Please let me know of any SLF-related questions.

Doug