Expect to see even more spotted lanternflies this summer
CAMDEN COUNTY, N.J. (CBS) -- They're back! Spotted lanternflies returns for another season. Experts say they're going to be worse than last year, and they need your help to stop the invasive insect.
It's that time of the year again. We're already spotting spotted lanternfly nymphs around the region. And according to a local entomologist, expect to see even more this summer.
Lots of people have been asking, what exactly is this insect?
"They're the nymphs, so it's just an immature or a baby stage of the spotted lanternfly," Camden County entomologist Lauren Bonus said.
Some residents have been confusing these immature spotted lanternflies as spiders.
But according to Bonus, there is one thing you should do if you see one of these invasive insects.
"We need to actively try to kill them," she said.
Spotted lanternflies are originally from Asia. In Asia, the insect's predator is a wasp. But there are no wasps in America that eat spotted lanternflies, which is why there's expected to be even more this summer and we will have to be their predators.
"Aside from the natural way -- stepping on them, swatting them, if you can catch them -- there are a list of approved pesticides on the Department of Agriculture's webpage," Bonus said.
There are also traps you can set to catch these insects.
Currently, the bugs are only focusing on grapevines and hops, which isn't good news for vino or beer fans or those in the industry.
"The impact on agriculture, I mean they've projected millions of dollars of damage or impact on the agriculture industry, the wine and beer industry, so that is the motivating factor to kill them," Bonus said.
Camden County is aware that the spotted lanternflies are in the area again.
