The ways to get rid of spotted lanternflies over the past few years have been to step, squish, and squash them. But as the battle against the bugs becomes too steep, some researchers say that getting native birds to eat these invasive pests is key, writes Dino Grandoni for The Washington Post.

Since the lanternflies have no natural predators in Pennsylvania or the Northeast, they were able to thrive. However, birders and biologists have noticed that some of the state’s birds have taken a liking to munching on them — but not enough.

Anne Johnson, a Ph.D. student at Pennsylvania State University, conducted research from 2020-22 and found that a particular tree in the region called the Tree of Heaven caused lanternflies eating it to taste toxic and bitter. Birds avoided eating the lanternflies on that tree.

Johnson found that birds preferred snacking on the lanternflies that had not eaten from the tree. Now, the removal of the tree has scientists hoping that the birds will catch on and begin to prey on the lanternflies more enthusiastically.

Complete eradication of the tree is impossible, so scientists advise homeowners, businesses, and anyone with a yard to do the best they can in attracting birds such as bird baths, bird feeders, and bird houses.

“This plant is everywhere, so we’re not going to completely remove it,” said Allison Cornell, an ornithologist at Pennsylvania State University at Altoona. “But it’s something that could be done on a local scale in, say, neighborhoods or on a farm to try and increase the likelihood of birds in that area learning to recognize spotted lantern fly as a food item.”

Read more about how birds can get rid of spotted lanternflies, if we give them enough help, at The Washington Post.

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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on VISTA Today in March 2024.