COLUMBUS, Ohio — A growing invasion of spotted lanternflies across central Ohio has residents frustrated and experts concerned about the long-term environmental impact.

Native to Asia, the invasive insects were first confirmed in Ohio five years ago. Without natural predators in the U.S., they pose a major threat to native plants, including grapevines, fruit trees and hardwoods.

“They are spreading, they are spreading rapidly,” Lindsey Krusling with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said. “I’m not going to say that the war is lost, but they are a major invasive species at the moment that we are trying to get rid of.”

The department is urging residents to report sightings, remove egg masses, and — if possible — kill lanternflies on sight.

“If there’s a small or very low populatio

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