CLEVELAND — Spotted lanternflies are continuing their reign of terror across Ohio. The insects feed on specific plants like the tree-of-heaven, grapes, hops and stone fruit, causing them to wilt and die.
In response to the pests, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) marked 12 counties as "quarantined," including Cuyahoga, Lorain, Mahoning and Columbiana.
“From the agricultural standpoint, we look at our vineyards," said ODA Director Brian Baldridge. "Very concerned with our vineyards and their management practices in their space. Because obviously, you take a lot of those leaves away and now you start impacting yields and so forth of different products.”
Baldridge describes them as a "hitchhiker pest," because the spotted lanternflies can latch onto vehicles and travel hundreds of miles.
The spotted lanternfly first entered the U.S. in 2014 and reached Ohio in 2020. Since then, Baldridge says the migration has been slow, but when it does reach plants, vineyards, and farms, the results can be catastrophic.
This ODA Map shows areas of concern this year:
At this time, the ODA says there's no treatment or fix to prevent the spread of the invasive species.
“I wish we could say we had an eradication plan," said Baldridge. "Today, with our partners at USDA, there is not one.”
If you do see a lanternfly, the ODA says you should squish and kill it. However, there are also ways to seek the pest out so you're not giving it a ride to spread.
The ODA says you should check your car before going on a long drive and check plants before buying them and transporting them to a different location.
According to the department, the insects typically lay masses of eggs in trees, buildings, firewood, outdoor furniture, lawn equipment and rocks. They recommend using a knife or a credit card to scrape those eggs off into soapy water which will kill them.