With the season of the spotted lanternfly approaching, one of the best ways to prepare to protect your trees is by setting up new-style circle traps in advance, write Emelie Swackhamer, Amy Korman, Heather L Leach, and Joseph A. Francese for the Penn State Extension.

Recent research has shown that these traps are very effective and less likely to capture other creatures.

The trap is made of plastic-coated insect screening and creates a tunnel for spotted lanternfly to walk into. As they move upward inside the trap, they find themselves in a dead-end collection container where they die.

While you can buy these traps commercially, there are ways to make them yourself and adjust them to your needs. Most of the required materials are common household items, such as a window screen, empty milk jugs, and zip-type bags.

The screen – adjusted with a piece of wood – creates the pathway, the tops of milk jugs are the tunnel, and the end zip bag is the container that traps them.

Find detailed instructions on how to make a spotted lanternfly circle trap at the Penn State Extension by clicking here.

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