4 ms·
In Pittsburgh too. For some reason the back entrance to my building (TCS hall) is a mecca for these little pests--to the point that a brick wall was literally c
by titzer 3y ago
In Pittsburgh too. For some reason the back entrance to my building (TCS hall) is a mecca for these little pests--to the point that a brick wall was literally covered in thousands of them. I ninja-side-kicked said wall and hit nothing but lantern fly. I must have killed almost a hundred with just a couple kicks. Crazy.
Clearly natural selection is at work because the left over ones are getting pretty good at jumping out of the way of a stomp.
- dgacmu 3y agoThe railroad right of way that passes nearly under TCS is packed with the lanternflies favorite host species, ailanthus (tree of heaven). There's a large band of them running all the way from the river up panther hollow to Carnegie Mellon. It's a perfect breeding ground for the lanternflies. (The gates building is covered in them too.)
- pfdietz 3y agoI'm hoping the Tree of Heaven will be controlled. They've found a pathogen (Verticillium nonalfalfae) in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Austria that seems highly effective at controlling it. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341196404_Field-inoculated_Ailanthus_altissima_stands_reveal_the_biological_control_potential_of_Verticillium_nonalfalfae_in_the_mid-Atlantic_region_of_the_United_States https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341196404_Field-ino... https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12600-022-01032-z https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12600-022-01032-z
- sestep 3y agoThey may be getting better, but they're still pretty stupid. Also if you decide not to stomp one and instead pick it up by its wings, it just instantly gives up and stops moving. I got too tempted one time and ended up eating one.
- nickpeterson 3y agoWhat?!
- salad-tycoon 3y agoUnexpected twist. Suspense of belief.
- sestep 3y agohttps://youtube.com/shorts/R-r3x8scCdI https://youtube.com/shorts/R-r3x8scCdI
- titzer 3y agoWell, what did it taste like?
- sestep 3y agoIt tasted bad.
- LgWoodenBadger 3y agoFrom experience, they only have enough energy for a jump or two, if you happen to miss them the first time. After that they’re spent.