The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture doesn’t mince its words when it comes to the spotted lanternfly.

“Kill it. Squash it. Smash it. Just get rid of it,” the department notes in a recent public service announcement.

The invasive species is native to Asia and was first spotted in Berks County in 2014. Since then, it has spread to multiple Pennsylvania counties and neighboring states, where it wreaks damage on plants, trees and crops.

If uncontrolled, the pest could cost the state $324 million annually and result in the loss of 2,800 jobs.

“Killing lanternflies is unfortunately necessary to keep them from destroying valuable crops like grapes, and from generally making outdoor life miserable,” said department spokeswoman Shannon Powers. “Those who see lanternflies should kill them whenever possible.”

In addition, a quarantine order to help quell the bugs’ spread is in place in 45 counties, including Carbon, Schuylkill, Luzerne and Monroe. And Pennsylvanians are asked to report those they see online at https://extension.psu.edu/have-you-seen-a-spotted-lanternfly or by phone at 1-888-4-BADFLY.

Dr. Amy K. Korman, horticulture extension educator for the Penn State Extension in Northampton and Lehigh Counties, believes the problem is getting worse.

“The distribution of the lanternfly is no longer restricted to a few counties in southeast Pennsylvania; it’s now in 11 different states,” she said.

Some residents in the southern part of the state started seeing the nymphs in mid-April, Korman said. They emerge later in higher elevations.

Once they hatch, they feed on the succulent parts of plants and the undersides of leaves.

Powers said newly hatched lanternflies are between the size of a tick and a housefly, and have white spots on their black bodies.

As they grow, they develop red patches, and in adulthood, they’ll develop colorful wings and measure an inch long.

Despite their name, they don’t fly - they hop.

The bugs feed on sap from a number of plants, but seem to prefer grapevines, maples, black walnut, birch and willow. Their feeding stresses the plants, and can lead to death, according to the agriculture department.

After feeding, they excrete a sugary substance called honeydew that encourages the growth of a black, sooty mold that damages trees and plants.

The honeydew can coat play equipment and decks, rendering outdoor areas unusable, explained Emelie Swackhamer, a horticulture educator with Penn State Extension.

There is no way to completely get rid of spotted lanternflies, Korman noted.

“One can scrape and smash eggs in the fall and winter,” she said. Eggs are generally in masses of 30 to 60, laid in tiny rows and covered in a substance that looks like wood putty or dried gum. They can be on any outdoor surface.

Fly swatters are all that’s needed to take care of the nymphs and adults, Korman said.

Circle traps can be placed in trees to collect and kill the bugs. The traps are a tunnel that lanternflies walk into and cannot escape. They can be purchased or made at home.

Insecticides are an option when the bugs are plentiful. The extension’s recently released Spotted Lanternfly Management Guide (https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly-management-guide) includes information on selecting options for individual situations. Residents can obtain printed copies by contacting a Penn State Extension county office or by calling 877-345-0691.

The guide also offers illustrations, charts and photos on the pest’s biology, behavior, plant damage and ongoing research.

As for the quarantine, it was ordered to stop the bugs’ movement to new areas.

Those who visit an infested area should check their vehicles and belongings for their presence, Powers said.

“Look before you leave so you don’t give them a ride to a new home,” she suggested.

For more information on spotted lanternflies, visit agriculture.pa.gov/spottedlanternfly.

“The only good spotted lanternfly is a dead one; if the lanternfly could be safely and expeditiously destroyed, that would be good, too,” Korman added.