What to know about the invasive species spreading across Ohio—and how to stop it

What’s black and red and—soon—might be all over? 

It’s the highly invasive spotted lanternfly, which you might have seen on recent excursions in Mt. Airy Forest or elsewhere in the region. 

Cincinnati Parks posted a picture of the bugs to Instagram, requesting that park visitors report sightings or suspected infestations. Park services have affixed mesh monitoring devices to trees in various parts of the park. 

“If you suspect a spotted lanternfly infestation or find this insect individually in Cincinnati Parks, at any life stage, please take a picture and report the finding to the [Ohio Department of Agriculture] Plant Pest Control and drew.goebel@cincinnati-oh.gov,” the organization wrote. 

In locations where lanternflies have been spotted, experts have generally advised destroying them to prevent the infestation from spreading. 

Originally from China, the spotted lanternfly feeds primarily on the tree of heaven plant—another invasive species—but is also known to cause damage to other local plant species. The insects landed in Pennsylvania in 2014, and lanternflies were first seen in Cincinnati a little under a year ago. 

Residents of Pennsylvania and New York know how quickly a few lanternflies can turn into thousands. Despite community efforts to drive out the species, both states are currently fighting massive lanternfly infestations.