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Newt
Joined: 10/08/1999
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My grandchildren are masters at offing lantern flies

The middle grandchild (4 at the time last summer) calls them "Spotterins". Now all of us call them that. The kids have developed an ingenious killing system featuring fat waffleball bats. 1. Locate a spotterin. 2. Use fat bat to strike the area beside the creature with force. 3. The spotterin will leap into the air and fly away a short distance. 4. Locate the spotterins' landing spot. 5. Quickly move in and destroy the spotterin with the fat wiffleball bat. Key discovery by the children: Spotterins have evolved an aggressive first defense. When threatened and before any contact, they detect the motion and launch themselves into the air for a short distance out of the range of the attacker. The children discovered that the effort to escape slows their ability to elude an immediate second attack. It's like they need a moment to recharge. That's their weakness. Using their discovery, my grandchildren have murdered thousands of spotterins since last summer. I'm very proud of them. *This method also works on cave/camel crickets. ** Edited by Newt at 7/29/2026, 5:16:12 PM
Posted: 07/28/2026 at 07:07 PM ET
(In response to this post by astrohokie)

Thread Replies (12)

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Just squished a dang lanternfly...
astrohokie 07/28/26 12:57 PM ET
They are all over our neighborhood. It's a daily squish for us here.**
Vtskier1 07/28/26 09:33 PM ET
had one 3o4 INdoors the other nite... took me a 3o4 few to realize its NOT,**
bourbonstreet 07/28/26 08:05 PM ET
My grandchildren are masters at offing lantern flies
Newt 07/28/26 07:07 PM ET
Same concept works for a mongoose.**
Lancelot Link 07/29/26 04:24 PM ET
This goes without saying.**
Newt 07/30/26 04:57 PM ET
If anyone you know has a Tree of Heaven on their yard...get rid of it LINK**
Tuckahokie 07/28/26 01:49 PM ET
HAck and squirt method is not very efficient
Spudnut 07/28/26 04:18 PM ET
No. But I have Tears in Heaven. **
HokieGator 07/28/26 03:52 PM ET
Those things are a PITA. We are having some removed today.**
reestuart 07/28/26 03:35 PM ET
Is it also called the stinkweed tree?**
HokieHi71 07/28/26 02:28 PM ET
saw my first couple in Christiansburg yesterday**
JoesterVT 07/28/26 01:47 PM ET
Cull em bastiges**
astrohokie 07/28/26 02:04 PM ET