Lantern Flies Continue To Fester In New Jersey, This Is What To Do

They are creepy, crawly, create devastation to our crops and trees and they're back with a vengeance. Yes, I'm talking about more Lantern Flies.

Uggggh...they are festering. Just look at this photo from u/Girhinomofe on Reddit. This is a New Jersey photo, which means they are already at work in our own backyards.

If you see something, say something. Yes, we are supposed to do our part and kill these suckers but we should also report seeing large clusters of them too!   What should you do if you see an infestation? Here are the steps according to the U.S. Agriculture Division for New Jersey:

First, identify them properly: The Spotted Lanternfly adult is approximately 1 inch long and a half-inch wide at rest. The forewing is grey with black spots and the wings tips are reticulated black blocks outlined in gray. The hind wings have contrasting patches of red and black with a white band. The legs and head are black; the abdomen is yellow with broad black bands. Immature stages are black with white spots and develop red patches as they grow.

What to do: If you see egg masses, scrape them off, double bag them, and throw them away. You can also place the eggs into alcohol, bleach, or hand sanitizer to kill them.

Collect a specimen: Specimens of any life stage can be turned in to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s lab for verification. Take a picture: A photograph of any life stage (including egg masses) can be submitted to SLF-plantindustry@ag.nj.gov.

Report a site: If you can’t take a specimen or photograph, call the New Jersey Spotted Lanternfly Hotline at 1-833-223-2840 (BADBUG0) and leave a message.

Of course, people are using them for target practice with their water guns filled with salt and vinegar too.

Here are a list of invasive species in New Jersey