Vacuum Removal of Spotted Lanternfly

illustration of a person vacuuming spotted lanternflies off of a tree.

Spotted lanternflies move and jump quickly, making it difficult to remove them by hand. In some, cases eliminating them with a vacuum cleaner may be the way to go! Handhelds, backpack-style rechargeables and even big shop vacs may be helpful. 

Vacuum carefully to avoid damaging tender plants. 

Emptying the Vacuum

Spotted lanternflies usually won’t survive the vacuum process. That might not always be the case, so use caution when emptying the vacuum. 

You may want to leave the vacuum for a day or two to make sure the insects are dead before emptying (they can only survive for about two days without feeding). Don’t wait more than a few days to empty the vacuum. If left for too long, dead spotted lanternflies will decay and produce a putrid odor.