(Des Moines, IA ) -- The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) is asking Iowans to be on the lookout for an invasive insect that can destroy crops.
The colorful but destructive spotted lanternfly is native to Asia and was unintentionally introduced into Pennsylvania in 2014.
It was most recently discovered in Des Moines County, possibly arriving on a truck. If this insect spreads across the country, it could threaten grape, orchard, nursery and logging industries.
Anyone who sees a spotted lanternfly should kill it and send a picture of it to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at Entomology@IowaAgriculture.gov. You can also call IDALS Entomology and Plant Science Bureau at 515-725-1470 or contact your local county Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Office.