Beautiful Yet Horrible Bugs Are Using the Summer to Spread Cross Country

Over the last couple of weeks I keep seeing these colorful, beautiful red-winged bugs all squashed and scattered. It's like all of a sudden they're everywhere. I even had two in one day land on me then take off while I was out running errands.

Upon further research, I realized these are the moth-like bugs that we're supposed to smash when ever we see them and not feel guilty in the slightest.

I've heard of the spotted lanternfly but never seen one until this summer and this is the season we're supposed to kill them anytime we see one before cooler weather prevails and they go in search of warm, cozy, nooks and crannies to settle down for the winter to procreated and lay eggs.

According to USA Today, this is an invasive species out of Asia that has been growing in sightings across the country wreaking havoc on our trees and plants. Whether it's our parks or individual gardens the infestation is getting worse as the spotted lanternfly population grows.

While it started in the northeastern part of the country and has spread into the Midwest and south, all states are at risk, especially any state with wine vineyards.

The spotted lanternfly can decimate not just grapevines, but destroy other lucrative crops like apples, almonds, walnuts, cherries, hops, and peaches according to USA Today.

According to the Best Life website, don't feel guilty about smashing this bug, either.

Our ecosystems work because of the delicate balance of the organisms that live in them. So when a non-native species enters the equation, it can have a disastrous effect making that ecosystem vulnerable.