You Must Report Sightings of This Invasive Bug in New York

Well, sure enough, this aggressive invasive species has made its return to the Hudson Valley.

Unfortunately, these bugs have pretty severe negative impacts on our environment, but here's the latest on what to do when you see one and how you can help prevent them!

Spotted Lanternflies in New York

Spotted Lanternflies first arrived in New York in August of 202. The first recorded infestation was in Staten Island according to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

In multiple local Facebook groups around the Hudson Valley, residents have begun sharing their Spotted Lanternfly sightings, like this one shared by Brian Kenny in the Beacon, NY Facebook group.

Dangers of Spotted Lanternflies

It's no secret that Spotted Lanternflies are considered an invasive species. If you've ever encountered one in person, you'll know how aggressive they can be, leaping and flying around.

However, these bugs pose a bigger risk than just being annoying to humans.

The biggest threat these Spotted Lanternflies pose is to the environment and to the local agricultural scene. Adult Spotted Lanternflies, " use their sucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of more than 70 plant species," according to the DEC. This can leave crops and plants more susceptible to disease.

Outside of what Spotted Lanternflies take away from crops, they also leave behind a sticky residue that can prevent a plant from undergoing the all-important photosynthesis process, which can prevent crops from growing to their full, edible potential.

How to Prevent Spotted Lanternflies and What to Do If You See One

One of the top things the DEC recommends for preventing more Spotted Lanternflies is to examine all firewood, plants, and vehicles if you are traveling from one state to another. Most invasive species are transmitted to new places by humans. So do a sweep of all of those items before returning home and look out for these egg masses.

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture shares that these masses can easily be scraped off of trees, cars, plants, and anywhere else they may be seen. You want to scrape them into a container of either hot, soapy water or hand sanitizer.

However, you'll typically see these egg clusters in the Fall. So, what can you do in the Summer?

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If you see Spotted Lanternflies flying or sitting around, especially in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester Counties, the DEC wants to know. If you can take a photo of the insect or the egg cluster, that's really helpful information for the DEC. Send whatever you can to spottedlanternfly@agriculture.ny.gov.

SEE ALSO: Warning for New Yorkers: "Please Don't Kill" This Insect

On top of documenting the sights, the Department of Agriculture strongly recommends stomping on the insect to prevent it from procreating.

Here is a video guide on how to remove Spotted Lanternfly eggs.