Spotted lanternfly sightings are climbing in Andover, and the town's Conservation Division wants residents to help track where the invasive insect is showing up.

The division said Thursday, Aug. 6, that it is actively monitoring and mapping reported populations across town, according to Patch. Residents who spot the inch-long, gray-winged insect can file a report through the town's spotted lanternfly webpage or call the Conservation Division at 978-623-8630. Reports can also be emailed to [email protected].

The spotted lanternfly feeds on the sap of more than 100 plant species, including grapevines, blueberries and wild grapes. Large populations can weaken trees and shrubs through repeated feeding and leave behind a sticky waste called honeydew that coats outdoor furniture, vehicles and anything beneath infested trees. That residue can also attract wasps and hornets.

The insects do not bite or sting.

First detected in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014, the spotted lanternfly arrived in Massachusetts in 2021 when it was identified in Fitchburg. It has since spread to more than 50 communities statewide, with more than 1,000 sightings recorded by over 500 respondents on the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources interactive map as of early August, according to the Telegram & Gazette.

MDAR's survey team reported egg masses began hatching in Massachusetts around May 12, according to the agency's pest blog. North Andover News flagged the hatch in May, indicating the pest was already being tracked locally before Andover's summer surge in sightings.

"We're just getting to the point where we're starting to see infestation levels," MDAR environmental biologist Jennifer Forman Orth told the Telegram & Gazette on Aug. 1. "Based on what we've seen in other states, this is not a pest that you can eradicate. We've been focusing on managing it in some areas and trying to slow the spread."

MDAR officials have also warned that pesticides used against the lanternfly can harm beneficial insects, complicating treatment near wetlands, according to MassLive.

How to identify them: Adults are about one inch long with gray forewings covered in black spots. Their hindwings show red, black and white patches. Nymphs are black with white spots and develop red coloring as they mature.

Residents are also asked to check their vehicles before leaving areas with known infestations to avoid accidentally transporting the pest to new locations.