OHIO — Agriculture experts are providing advice on how to help slow the spread of an invasive species in Ohio.
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Spotted lanternfly egg masses are going to start hatching throughout the state soon, according to a social media post from the Ohio State University Extension.
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“Now is the time to look for the egg masses of these invasive insects and destroy them before they hatch,” the post said.
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The spotted lanternfly is a plant hopper insect that is native to Asia and feeds on the sap of a variety of plants and lays its eggs on hard surfaces like tree bark, according to a previous News Center 7 report.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture said destroying egg masses before the nymphs emerge helps reduce the population.
To destroy an egg mass, ODA recommends scraping any egg masses with a knife or credit card that has been dipped into soapy water or rubbing alcohol.
Spotted lanternflies were first spotted in Ohio in 2020 but have been spotted in several counties.
If you spot any of these incests, the ODA requests you take a picture and report the sighting here.
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