Invasive Bug Deadly to Trees Now in Illinois for 1st Time Ever

This is one bug that is not supposed to be in Illinois and up until now has never been. It's a bug that is deadly to trees and Illinois officials have confirmed that it has been spotted in the Land of Lincoln for the first time ever.

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The Illinois Department of Agriculture just issued a bulletin this week alerting everyone that the Spotted Lanternfly has been found in the state. Here's a snippet of what they said:

The Illinois Department of Agriculture has confirmed the first detection of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma deliculata) in Illinois.

They go on to say that it was an adult Spotted Lanternfly that was seen on September 16, 2023 and the officials were able to investigate and confirm it. The Illinois Department of Agriculture says that the good news is it does not appear at this time that the bug's penetration of the state will be widespread, but that it could affect "orchards, pumpkin patches, and vineyards".

What do you do if you find a spotted lanternfly in Illinois?

The state says take a picture then make sure you kill the bug and contact the Illinois Department of Agriculture with the photo, location and information about what and where you found it.

This YouTuber shared a video which shows what can happen if the spotted lanternfly is allowed to flourish in Illinois. The trees around him are covered with these nuisances.

Make sure to check out the full details of what to watch out for involving the spotted lanternfly in the Illinois Department of Agriculture press release.