Apparently if they feed on milkweed the sap kills them. Who knew?
I love monarchs and have all my swampy areas colonized by milkweed
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Good news. The wife has multiple Milkweeds growing here.
Which raises the question: Why would they feed on milkweed? I’m guessing it’s because they’re on short rations elsewhere.
Be nice if that information could be parlayed into an effective, specific insecticide.
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There is no credible evidence, at this point, to show that milkweed kills SLF: Spotted lanternfly experts debunk myths about the prodigious, pestilent pest | Penn State University
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This would be wonderful. Except, I have found over 100 nymphs and now adults in my backyard (zero last year) and not a single one dead under my patches of milkweed. I need to go writing more notes and knocking on neighbors doors because the elderly ones who don’t manage their lots all have tree of hell groves growing.
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I don’t think it would be specific. Milkweeds are pretty darn toxic, any insecticide derived from them would almost certainly be broad-spectrum.
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Yeah I’d like to see the research showing this to be true and that article outdated before I’d invest in milkweed…
I mean just because a plant produces toxic substances (as many plants do in one form or another) it doesnt mean they are effective against every or even most bugs… I mean a lot of bugs seek out particular plants (milkweed and certain butterflies being a prime example) specifically to make themselves harmful/unpalatable to their predators… sadly at this point i think the best natural population management strategy for SLF may be encouraging a healthy population of bug-specialist birds to take up residence and hopefully learn the invading SLF are a coloful dinner treat…
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Great idea. Incorporate freshly dead SLF nymphs and flies in the fruit plate.
Yellow jackets have been observed killing and eating them…
Perhaps in a few years the local predators will bring them under control.
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Some birds as well
I think you’re right
Some natives will start munching on them
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A new study showed decent control from various native and non-native predatory insects.
I’d say this is another point in favor of not spraying insecticides willy-nilly, organic or otherwise.
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So if this study has merit and I’m reading the graph right, I’m gathering that raising a “garrison” of soldier bugs (see what I did there? heh 
) would be a great idea to deal with these colorful menaces.
Who conducted this study, and where/when was it done out of curiosity? I’d be interesting in reading more.
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Here you go.
It is interesting that the authors indicate that the SLF are conferred some degree of protection from predators by feeding on foliage that is toxic in nature. Perhaps by SLF feeding on milkweed it actually protects them from predation- the exact opposite of what was proposed!
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