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They may be black or white or red all over. It all depends on when you spot them.In much of the eastern U.S., the spotted lanternfly is now reaching adult maturity with its recognizable pinkish-gray wings and black spots, but the bugs exist year-round in different colors and forms. The invasive insect has continued its spread across the United States, appearing in 21 states so far this year.Spotted lanternflies typically reach the adult stage in late July and August, emerging later in colder northern states.While the insect doesn’t pose any danger to the average person, the spotted lanternfly has no natural predators and can cause harm to certain crops.In order to prevent population spread, some localities have enacted quarantines requiring businesses and truckers who transport goods interstate to check their products for the insects and their eggs. Exact quarantine regulations vary state-by-state, and they do not impact the average homeowner.Grapes are the most under threat. The spotted lanternfly loves to feed on grape vines, which harms crops, and experts are concerned the insect could spread to larger grape growing regions like Lake Erie. “(Spotted lanternflies) are not harmful to people, they’re harmful to people’s pocketbooks,” said Matthew Helmus, professor of ecology at Temple University. The spotted lanternfly also feeds on hops, hardwood trees and the tree of heaven, which is also invasive to the U.S.The spotted lanternfly was first observed in the U.S. in 2014. A homeowner in Berks County, Pennsylvania, noticed the insect and reported it.Experts hypothesize that the insect was imported from China on a landscaping rock and had likely been present in Pennsylvania for a couple of years before it was officially recorded.After a couple of years in a new area, the spotted lanternfly’s population explodes. Then if it overeats all its food sources, there’s a crash.The spotted lanternfly spreads to new areas largely in isolated incidents. It’s a hitchhiker and will lay eggs or latch onto pallet shipments and railcars. While the insect is largely concentrated on the East Coast, that could change. The spotted lanternfly has made its way all the way to California and to Oregon, but never alive. Most of the spread is caused by industry, but Helmus cautions that if you’re traveling cross-country, you should check your vehicle.The spotted lanternfly’s eggs — which are laid in the fall and look like mud — can hide well on the underside of large vehicles. For a long time, experts have advised that people should squish spotted lanternflies to stop the spread. Now, they’re softening that stance. Jacob Leeser, who works with Cornell’s Integrated Pest Management program, said that squashing the bugs won’t have a significant impact on their population, but you can if you want. "If you have a large infestation that is inhibiting your enjoyment of your immediate surroundings or if you have some aggression that you really need to vent, then stomping on a lanternfly is an OK way to control that," Leeser said. He did caution against an online trend of using vinegar to kill the insects. Vinegar sprays won’t kill the spotted lanternfly, but they will kill other plants in the area. If you are in an area that doesn’t already have lanternflies, you should squish it and report the insect to your State Department of Agriculture, Helmus said. But, like Leeser, he said that stomping the bugs won’t do much if their population has already been established in your town. For now, the polka-dotted insect is here to stay.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=