COLUMBUS, Ohio — We're talking about the spotted lanternfly.

What You Need To Know

  • The spotted lanternfly is an invasive species from East Asia that attacks agriculture, specifically woody trees and plants 

  • The insect has been seen throughout the Ohio state fair

  • Officials say if you it, squish it so they don't spread throughout the rest of the state

It’s an invasive species here at the state park that parkgoers should be aware of.

“So we tell everyone if you see it, squish it, because we’re starting to see spotted lanternfly eyes pop up all throughout the state in different areas,” said the information and education program administer for the division of forestry with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, David Parrot.  

The natural resources state park located in the Ohio state fairgrounds has an insect that most people may not know about but should, to keep our ecosystem safe. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the spotted lanternfly is an invasive species from East Asia that attacks agriculture, more specifically woody trees and plants. 

The lanternfly has made its way to central Ohio through global trade by attaching to cargo. ODNR has taken the proper precautions to protect their agriculture during the state fair, but that doesn’t mean all the flies are gone.  

“We’ve actually found some in the state fair, which we have treated the area for. So hopefully we’re not going to find any more here. But if anyone was to come to the state fair and see why we want you to kill it, because we don’t want them to accidentally get traveled back somewhere else in the state where they might not already be,” said Parrot.   

David Parrot from the division of forestry with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has seen several spotted lanternflies across the natural resources park. He says the fly looks different depending on the stage of life it’s in. 

“It looks like a moth, but it’s actually a plant hopper, and so you might find them with their wings and then the other times you find them when they’re young stages called instars, where they’ll look like little bugs that are spotted, and they can be either black or red,” said Parrot.

Like the sign says, the best way to kill them is to squish them. You could be saving our ecosystem across the state.