A few weeks ago, we had our first lanternfly sighting of the season at the Tribune office. The pesky bug flew right into the door, as if it was knocking and asking to come in. While it was the first lanternfly to grace our building this season, it was far from the last.We know we are not alone in finding these insects, as we have seen them throughout town and have received numerous calls from residents confirming visits from this latest generation of the cropdestroying spotted lanternflies which has been hatching throughout New Jersey. The bugs are colorful, eye-catching, and look different throughout their life cycle, which can make identifying them a challenge. And right about now is when they have reached full maturity and are laying egg masses that will hatch next spring.Earlier this month, state and township officials got straight to the point when offering advice about what to do with lanternflies: if you see it, stomp it. Anyone who comes across the insect should destroy it immediately to help slow the spread of these invasive and destructive pests. The insect feeds on 70 different plant species, causing significant damage and even death to them.According to French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, there are specific steps homeowners can take to fight spotted lanternfly infestation: smash them, spray them with insecticide soap, spray weeds with vinegar, scrape the eggs into a bottle containing alcohol, suck the flies up with a shop vac, and wrap sticky paper or backwards duct tape around an infested tree.If we do not attempt to address the problem now, it will only grow worse this time next year.
