Sightings began in the Tri-State area a few years ago, but the population of the invasive spotted lanternfly is now concerning enough that Ohio's Department of Agriculture has issued a statewide quarantine for the destructive bu g.The statewide quarantine went into effect February 17; before that, just 18 counties were under a quarantine including Hamilton County.But what does the spotted lanternfly quarantine mean? Specifically, the quarantine means trees and other nursery stock can't be taken out of Ohio without a compliance agreement, permit or inspection certificate, according to the department of agriculture.Any producers who ship trees or nursery products to non-regulated areas have to have their stock inspected, and each shipping load must come with a certificate that confirms the products are free of spotted lanternflies.The Ohio Department of Agriculture says any businesses that may need help certifying their shipments should reach out to ODA's plant pest control section for assistance.But wait, there's moreFor the last few years, as ODA has warned about the invasive spotted lanternfly, the department has asked Ohioans to snap photos of the pests and report them online, before promptly stomping the lanternfly.Now, Ohioans can still feel free to commence with the stomping, but ODA no longer wants those reports of sightings. Instead, the department released a Spotted Lanternfly Management Guide, to help property owners find treatment options.Watch below to learn more about these insects and what to look out for: Spotted lanternfly invasion threatens local trees and grapevinesWhy is the spotted lanternfly considered bad? State and Cincinnati city officials have been warning us about the invasive pest for a few years now, as sightings have increased.Simply put, the spotted lanternfly poses a threat to native plants in our region including agricultural crops and ornamental plants in your yard. The invasive insect is particularly dangerous to grapes, hops, stone fruits like peaches and plums, as well as apples. They also enjoy munching on trees found in many a Cincinnati yard: maple, walnut, poplar, willow and others. According to ODA, the pest is specifically a concern for Ohio's grape and wine industry which ODA says contributes more than $6 billion in economic activity annually."The spotted lanternfly is an invasive pest that is known to cause harm to Ohio's agricultural industry," ODA Director Brian Baldridge said in a press release. "ODA is committed to protecting and preserving our plant life, and plant health experts are working with nurseries and wineries to reduce the negative impact of SLF."Adult spotted lanternflies are around 1-inch long with a black head, gray wings with black spots and red hind wings when the top wings are unfolded.Adults appear in mid-July and stick around through the fall before dying off in winter but they return again in the following spring after their eggs overwinter and nymphs emerge in May. Those nymphs are black with white spots, growing in their red patches as they age.So what do I do if I find them in my yard?Again, experts recommend you commence with stomping or some other form of pest mitigation.Here are some management methods recommended by ODA: When populations are low, acceptable control may be achieved by swatting or stomping nymphs and adults when you see them. Removing favored SLF hosts, some of which are invasive themselves (tree of heaven and grapevine, for instance) can result in a reduction in SLF populations on your property. Horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps can provide control of nymphs and adults, however they do not provide residual activity. These products would likely need to be reapplied throughout the season. Contact insecticides such as bifenthrin, carbaryl and malathion may be used as spot treatments against SLF nymphs and adults. Repeat treatments may be necessary. Systemic insecticide treatments with dinotefuran or imidacloprid can be used as trunk sprays, trunk injections, or soil drenches depending on the label, and do provide more prolonged protection.Some of these mitigation methods may need to be applied by certified commercial pesticide applicators, or require specialized equipment, ODA warns. The department also cautions property owners avoid systemic insecticides while trees or shrubs are in flower, to help protect Ohio's pollinators.If the bugs are bad on your property, you may want to look at a deeper, more rooted pest: the invasive tree of heaven. The tree of heaven is the primary host for spotted lanternfly and one of the best ways to impact the number of lanternflies in your yard is to mitigate the amount of those trees. Like the spotted lanternfly, the tree of heaven is highly invasive in Ohio, and native to China.The trees are fast-growing and successfully disperse more than 300,000 wind-dispersed seeds per year, according to ODA. These trees suppress the growth of native trees and, when found in the open, can get up to 80 feet tall with a possible 40-foot-wide canopy. ...read more read less