If You Ever Spot This Insect, Get Rid of It Immediately!

The sap of many different plants and trees is the food source for lanternflies. Because they excrete a sticky, sweet material called honeydew, this feeding process damages the plant and may also cause sooty mold to proliferate. To make matters worse, this mold prevents the plant from producing oxygen via photosynthesis, so suffocating it. As far as I could tell, the mold was spreading, and the formerly brilliant maple leaves were becoming drab and dark.

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Way the Lanternfly Looks

The proliferation of lanternflies may be controlled provided their identification is ensured. Their adult size is around half an inch across and an inch long. Their gray wings marked with black specks give them a distinctive frontal look, while their underbelly reveals a pattern of red and black. Their crimson underwings provide a striking visual display as they soar through the air. Prior to reaching adulthood, the nymphs, or juveniles, change color from black to red and have white dots all over them.

Methods for Feeding