Mo. Dept of Ag warns community of Spotted Lantern Fly

(KBSI) – The Missouri Department of Agriculture is reminding the community about an invasive species known as the spotted lantern fly.

According to the Department of Agriculture’s official website, the bug has the potential to damage forests and food supply. The insect can also be a threat to tourism and recreation in the state of Missouri.

The insects can usually find their way to new areas by hitchhiking onto humans and are also known to lay eggs on any hard, smooth surface.

The best way to help save the local ecosystem is to remove and destroy the pests. One can do so by scraping egg masses onto a container with hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol to kill them.

Experts suggest taking photos first and reporting it to your local conservation department.