By Ethan Markon | Staff Writer

Pittsburgh’s fourth spotted lanternfly season is arriving, but it might not be as bad as previous years. City of Pittsburgh’s Senior Park Ranger Erica Heide said that for lanternflies, “the third year is typically the worst.”

Heide noted that all invasive species have a spike in their population before natural predators identify them as a reliable food source. While exact population can be hard to predict, there is expected to be a decrease in population as compared to last year. Praying mantis, birds, toads, and frogs are likely to become their established predators in the region.

The seasons and temperature can also impact the year’s population size. Eggs are laid in the colder months, typically starting in September, and don’t hatch until the warmer months of April and May. When the fall frost begins earlier, it gives the lanternflies less time to lay their eggs, but in Pittsburgh, the frost came a little late this year.

Check out the May edition of The Northside Chronicle for the full story.