If you are ready to continue the fight against spotted lanternfly, now is the ideal time to kill the invasive pest’s eggs to prevent further population growth in 2021, writes Samantha Spengler for the Philadelphia Magazine.

This season’s crop of insects will die as soon as the first hard freeze hits, but their eggs will remain – unless they are found and destroyed.

“Scraping those eggs off and killing them is super-important, and anybody can do it,” said Shannon Powers, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Eggs form light brown and yellowish masses – each containing 30 to 50 eggs.  These stick to the sides of trees, houses, telephone poles or even cars, and can differ in appearance but are usually around 1.5 inches long.

If you spot any eggs, ensure to report the sighting to Penn State, which is carrying out research to help identify the spread of spotted lanternfly and the most impacted areas.

To destroy the eggs, simply scrape them off and smash the entire mass. After the mass is destroyed, grab a ladder and keep looking for more, especially higher up.

Read more about spotted lanternfly at the Philadelphia Magazine by clicking here.