New York officials: Spotted lanternfly eggs hatching earlier this year after mild winter
NEW YORK -- Those pesky and destructive spotted lanternflies are back.
Their eggs normally don't hatch until May, but New York state's agriculture department says eggs are hatching earlier this year because of the mild winter and spring-like weather.
If you see a spotted lanternfly, you should kill it by stomping on it or vacuuming it up.
"Vacuuming them up is certainly a good practice. What we do when we vacuum them up, we then empty them into a plastic bag and basically put them in the sun and that will kill them," said Chris Logue, the New York state Department of Agriculture and Markets director for plant industry.
- Read more (8/5/2022): When squashing isn't enough: What to do if you spot a swarm of spotted lanternflies
Spotted lanternflies can travel by hitchhiking in the wheel wells of trucks and cars, and they can destroy dozens of varieties of plants and crops.
Vineyard owners on Long Island are especially concerned about the spotted lanternflies.