The big, fluttering, red-tinged wings of spotted lanternflies are already appearing in Cleveland — and soon the city will see much more of the invasive creature as nymphs transform into their adult stages and take to the skies.

“Right now, I think we’re seeing a mix of the nymphs and the adults, depending on where you are in the state,” says Ohio Department of Agriculture Inspection Manager Jonathan Shields, “but in the Cleveland area, I’d say you probably have a mix of those late, red and black nymphs, and the adults. But they haven’t begun to lay their egg masses yet.”

RELATED: Here’s What to Know About the Invasive Spotted Lanternflies in Ohio

Populations have been building in Cleveland since they were first reported in the city in 2020; at this point, Shields says the insect has rea

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