CLEVELAND — Prepare to squish and smash as spotted lanternflies have started to pop up in Northeast Ohio...again.
News 5 spoke to Brad McBride, the district manager of Davey Tree Expert Company, who discussed what you can expect and how to get ahead of things.
"Well, they are in a phase, a nymph phase, that is causing some damage, but when they become adults, they'll cause even more damage," McBride said.
What are spotted lantern flies?
"Spotted lanternflies are an insect that suck and attack trees. I mean that literally, actually, they pierce into the plant and they suck the juices out of it, and that's one way that they feed and cause damage," McBride said.
The invasive red, black and white bugs were a significant problem last summer— attacking over 70 types of plants.
RELATED: They're back! Spotted lanternflies found in Rocky River
McBride showed News 5 where they found a couple of them last year, but this year, the number doubled— even tripled. That's why he believes this summer may be worse than last year.
"They come from another country or continent, and when they come to the United States, they don't have natural predators, like they do in their native or natural areas," said McBride.
How to deal with them
There are ways to spot the creatures early before problems worsen—first, keep an eye out for McBride calls "SAP."
"Tree sap, in a way, that passes through the insect's digestive system and rains down anywhere," McBride said.
Next, you can contact a pest expert before the spotted lanternflies get big.
"Stopping them now is going to limit their numbers, or reduce their numbers, so they're not going to be able to lay as many eggs when they're adults. So work with an expert," McBride said.
Lastly, squishing can help... a little.
"I do know that there's been articles on taking care of that yourself, but you may not get the results you're looking for," McBride said.
